T H U R S D A Y MARCH 20, 2003
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXVIII, No. 40
An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891
www.browndailyherald.com
U.S. STRIKES IRAQ Airstrike reflects increased U.S. intelligence
War lights up predawn sky in Iraq
WASHINGTON (L.A. Times) — It was
an incongruous way to start a war: a single airstrike at dawn, a terse four-minute statement from President Bush — and then a strange silence. But military planners have been saying for months that this war will not resemble any other recent conflict, including its predecessor, the 1991 Persian Gulf War. They have already been proved right. Instead of the “shock and awe” that U.S. generals had promised, the first assault against Baghdad was a quick precision airstrike aimed at eliminating Iraqi President Saddam Hussein or other members of his leadership. Instead of a hail of fire, the first television pictures from Baghdad revealed a largely quiet sunrise and empty gray skies. In his statement from the White House, Bush offered no clarion call for the liberation of Iraq, no Churchillian phrases, but rather 30 understated sentences announcing “the early stages of military operations.” Officials said the raid on Baghdad occurred because a “target of opportunity” had appeared; this was not the main event, merely one more preliminary bout. In fact, U.S. and British aircraft that patrol “nofly” zones over Iraq have been striking air defenses for weeks. On Wednesday, in another escalation, they struck for the first time at Iraqi ground artillery across the border from the main allied ground force in Kuwait. But the British and American land forces remained poised in the desert, still waiting for the order to advance. “This was not the way the air war was supposed to begin,” said Michele Fluornoy, a former senior Pentagon adviser now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. “Every military analyst has been saying they’re going to wait for the cover of night and they’ll come in massively. This was none of those things.” The impromptu strikes against a residence outside Baghdad indicated a hope by U.S. strategists that they could bring the war to a quick end by killing Saddam. They also reflected the lessons of the recent war in see AIRSTRIKE, page 11
BAGHDAD (L.A. Times) —With thunderous explosions over Baghdad, the United States launched a preliminary salvo at dawn Thursday in what President Bush called “a broad and concerted campaign” to drive Saddam Hussein from power and disarm Iraq. Air raid sirens blared, and yellow and white tracers from Iraqi antiaircraft fire streaked across the city. As several large explosions rocked the capital, a ball of fire flared in the southern sky. A quick succession of bright yellow flashes appeared over an area near the airport. “The opening stages of the disarmament of the Iraqi regime have begun,” White House spokesman Ari Fleischer declared shortly after 9:30 p.m. EST AFP photo
As Iraq war commences, student reaction is divided BY CARLA BLUMENKRANZ
Campus antiwar activists will band together for a walkout this morning but remain divided about how to advocate peace in a nation already at war. “The antiwar sentiment is there,” said Riana Good ’03, president of the Green Party at Brown, “but a lot of times it’s difficult to funnel it. I believe that there are many people looking for ways to voice their dissent, but it’s often difficult to find the avenues that people feel most comfortable with.” This morning, campus activists in the Students Against War In Iraq coalition will participate in a walkout and rally on the Main Green. Organizers, who stand in solidarity with the Campus Antiwar Network, according to SAWI, plan to demonstrate against the war and speak out at an open mic. “We feel strongly that we need to act, and act more than ever, given what’s going on in Iraq,” said Elizabeth Sperber ’06, of SAWI. Although many of the Brown College Democrats will participate in today’s walkouts, the group remains more ambivalent than others about how to respond to the invasion of Iraq, said its president, Ethan Ris ’05, a Herald staff writer. While some of the College Democrats believe they should
focus on supporting U.S. troops, Ris said he sees no reason to cease to dissent. “A lot of people in the club feel very small right now, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to stop being very vocal,” he said. “The best thing college students and anybody else in the country can do right now is be very loud see LEFT, page 10
BY JULIA ZUCKERMAN
Many Republicans on campus expressed support for military action in Iraq on Wednesday and the desire to see a short war, but support for the war is not unanimous among conservatives. “I think we’re all hoping to see a very short war,” said Joseph Lisska ’04, vice president of the College Republicans. He said he hopes the Iraqi army surrenders
Major changes to come in U. libraries, thanks to planned reorganization campus news,page 5
Founding fathers are turning over in their graves, says Stephen Beale ’04 opinions, page 13
on a large scale, following the example of the 17 soldiers who surrendered last night. Lisska said warnings that the war could be long and difficult should not deter those who support it. “War by its nature is a difficult act,” he said, adding this fact “should not come as a surprise to anyone, and should not see RIGHT, page 10
Sara Perkins / Herald
President Simmons, Dean of the College Armstrong and Chaplain Cooper Nelson spoke Wednesday.
Simmons, others address Brown community BY DANA GOLDSTEIN
As the first missiles flew over Baghdad Wednesday night, President Ruth Simmons, Dean of the College Paul Armstrong and University Chaplain Rev. Janet Cooper Nelson addressed the Brown community at a special Undergraduate Council of
Students meeting in Salomon 101. UCS President Allen Feliz ’03 introduced the speakers, saying the purpose of the event was “to seek comfort at this very tough moment.” In a gravely delivered speech, Simmons addressed the impending violence and
I N S I D E T H U R S D AY, M A RC H 2 0 , 2 0 0 3 ACLU sues U. Maryland for violating students rights to free speech on campus campus watch,page 3
see IRAQ, page 9
U.S. soldiers don their chemical warfare protection suits at the Mutlaa desert checkpoint, north of Kuwait City.
outlined the responsibilities she hoped Brown students would fulfill during the conflict in Iraq. Promises that war will be rapid and cause relatively few casualties do not excuse citizens from “their democratic see RUTH, page 4
TO D AY ’ S F O R E C A S T War is a non-fiction story, not a fairy tale says Allison Lombardo ’05 opinions, page 15
Bears fall to Virginia 8973 in first-ever NIT appearance, ending season sports, page 16
mostly cloudy high 46 low 38