President Bush’s ultimatum to Saddam Hussein received criticism from some FAMU students.
Bush threatened Iraqi president Hussein and his sons to leave the country in 48 hours or face an attack in his brief address Monday night. He also advised journalists, diplomats and aid workers to flee the country.
Bush’s decision comes after he asked weapons inspectors to leave Iraq. The active war is in direct opposition to the United Nations Security Council’s resolution to avoid war.
“The United Nations Security Council has not lived up to its responsibilities,” he said. “So we rise to ours.”
But for students like Tiffany Morales, ignoring the United Nations will cause more conflict for the United States in the future.
“I was shocked that he was being so critical of the security council,” said the 18-year-old freshman business administration student from Orlando. “I think he should have stuck with the U.N. decision.
“He’s only made our image worse.”
Unlike the 44-day long Persian Gulf War in 1991, students said they don’t believe another war would be as short. If a war preempted, it will be the second time in history the United States face off Iraq.
“They expect it to be done in two weeks, but it’s not,” said Martin Brown, 23, a senior music education student from Miami. “Saddam has experience with his opponent. If he has weapons of mass destruction, he’s gonna use them.”
Economics student Marvin Brown agreed.
“It doesn’t seem like a fight we can win,” said the 22-year-old from Savannah, Ga. “Everyone is in danger. That’s the scariest part.”
Tom Ridge, the homeland security secretary, raised the terror alert to orange, which is high alert.
Although Bush promised to do away with the “tyrants” and deliver liberation to the Iraqi people, students said removing Hussein from power might be deadly overseas as well as on the homeland.