Nearly 80 students and several members of the faculty exchanged opinions about the war in Iraq during a recent panel discussion sponsored by the Claremont Independent and the CMC Peace Coalition on Friday, April 25 in McKenna Auditorium.

The Consequences of Iraq discussion opened with a 10-minute remarks from each of the four participating professors followed by student questions and comments. The second half of the program included five-minute remarks from each of the six student panelists, followed by another question and answer session from audience members. ASCMC president Bick McSwiney ’04 moderated the event.

Dialogue during the two-plus hour discussion remained polite and respectful despite divergent opinions. Participating faculty included Mark Blitz, the Fletcher Jones Professor of Political Philosophy and government department chair; Paul Kapur, assistant professor of government; Marie-Denise Shelton, professor of modern languages; and Stephen Campagna-Pinto, visiting professor for the department of philosophy/religious studies.

While Kapur analyzed America’s military campaign in Iraq, calling the combination of air and ground assaults a success and a “departure from the way troops fought during the Gulf war to liberate Kuwait,” Shelton questioned the United States’ “decapitation” strategy and sought to define how, when, and in what circumstances the U.S. should use its mighty military power. “Can you imagine a world in which any country can preemptively strike another country it fears?” Shelton asked in her opening statements. Professor Blitz outlined utility of the U.S. forces and overall benefits of the war both here and abroad, including liberation of the Iraqi people, while reminding listeners that one of the goals of the U.S. government has always been to “advance a liberal-democratic way of life.”Campagna-Pinto’s remarks addressed motives for the war, which, he said,“many Americans wonder about, and feel the need to understand."

Members of the Peace Coalition quietly sold T-shirts in the back of the room, imprinted with the words, “Love your country always.”

Student panelists for the event were Brenda-n Behan ’03, C. Apollo Morgan ’04, Jenny Bindel ’04, Brian Callahan ’03, Amy Nelson ’05, and Peter Caltagirone ’04.

“I’d just like to say that I think this kind of interchange of viewpoints on such polarizing issues is important, especially the student-exchange,” Bindel said in her opening remarks, thanking organizers for the event.