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Although the Bush Administration and many Americans support military action against Iraq, a group of professors representing several area colleges on Thursday endorsed a more peaceful course of action.

The educators offered their views as part of Wheeling Jesuit University's Day of Peace. The panel discussion culminated a series of events throughout the day to protest possible war with Iraq.
"This is a solidarity day regarding the Iraqi situation in regards to a peaceful resolution to what's going on," said the Rev. James O'Brien, S.J., associate professor of philosophy at WJU. "I'm very proud that this shared vision is happening all over the country."

O'Brien posed this question to the audience: What will be the role of higher education with respect to the prospect of an armed conflict in the Middle East?

"It's very likely that we will be a nation more involved in killing over the next few weeks and months," he said.

"What is it that we as colleges are going to contribute to our nation?"

Making the main presentation was John Cox, an assistant professor of history at WJU. He noted his personal and religious beliefs shape his view on an impending war.

"As an informed citizen and Christian, I oppose war at this time with Iraq," Cox said. "It's neither necessary nor justified at this time."

Before the presentation, Cox said he saw U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's address to the United Nations Security Council last week, in which he presented surveillance photos and sound recordings that the Bush Administration claims proves that Iraq is lying about hiding weapons of mass destruction. He said he believes the evidence presented did not prove the points Powell was trying to make.

"It convinced me that Powell has lost patience," Cox said. "I can't believe how stupid (Iraqi dictator) Saddam Hussein is. But we don't blow up countries for being stupid. I think we need to turn up the heat on Saddam Hussein but not go to war."

Cox said he favors a strategy of allowing surveillance plane flights over Iraq and a counter proposal offered by Germany and France of having U.N. forces accompany weapons inspectors in Iraq.

James Forrester, a professor of political science at West Liberty State College, pointed out that the Bush administration's policy is to destroy weapons of mass destruction. He said that if the evidence Powell presented proves Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction, the sites should have been attacked militarily. "They had that information, why didn't they strike these sites?"

Bethany College psychology professor John Hull and art professor Herb Weaver have teamed up to create a course titled "The Art and Science of Peace." Hull said it was first offered in the spring of 2002. Weaver said it will be offered "until there's world peace."

Weaver described the course as a study of conflict resolution in humans and non-humans.

"I focus on the role of creativity and how it relates to peace," Weaver said. "We examine the process of art making."

Weaver said it has been reported that since the last Gulf War in 1991 there has been a surge in art making in Iraq.

Cox claimed President Bush has engineered a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy. "This war will be based on a new concept called 'pre-emption.'"

He also contended that the impending war has taken the American people's focus off other important issues, such as the health care crisis, the looming budget deficit, the weak economy, and North Korea's nuclear weapons development. "War fever is distracting you and me from domestic issues that need our attention."

Cox also maintained that a war with Iraq is distracting the American people from the real war on terrorism.

"We can bomb Iraq into pieces, but we can't bomb Iraq into peace," Weaver said.

http://www.news-register.net/news/story/0214202003_new01.asp