Weinberg sophomore Jessica Jackson faced a tough choice last weekend: whether to bomb Iraq.

As an Israeli Cabinet member in a Model U.N. conference, Jackson dealt with military aggression from Iraq and Syria, a hostage situation in Lebanon, and the implementation of martial law in Israel.

“With the volatile situation in the Middle East, we ended up having to bomb Iraq,” Jackson said. “We could not rely on the U.S.”

Jackson was one of 10 members from Northwestern’s Model U.N. chapter to compete in the ChoMUN IV conference, held last weekend at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago.

Seventeen colleges, including Brown, Yale and McGill universities, participated in ChoMUN IV, in which student “delegates” debated and attempted to resolve international crises.

Two NU students won awards at the conference for their diplomatic skills.

Weinberg sophomore Michael Yanovsky was named best delegate as a judge in the International Court of Justice committee, which debated the legality of the United States’ use of force in Kosovo.

Speech junior John Broach received honorable mention for his role as Minister of Industry in the 1971 Pakistan Cabinet, which argued against dividing the country into Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“This was my first U.N. meet, and I happened to be lucky,” Broach said. “It felt good to win.”

Sponsored by the University of Chicago, the conference focused more on historical situations than on current events, said NU Model U.N. President Mary Gurry, a Weinberg sophomore.

“It’s more of a challenge because you have to know your history, and it doesn’t necessarily follow the past,” Gurry said. “It takes on its own flavor. We rewrite history.”

The NU participants were placed in one of eight committees with Model U.N. members from other colleges, Gurry said. The debates were judged by committee chairs from the University of Chicago.

During Winter Quarter, participants wrote policy papers and researched the issues assigned to their committees.

The students prepared by reading newspapers, practicing their speeches and contacting embassies, said Model U.N. Vice President Dianna English, a Weinberg freshman.

“It gives you a lot of insight on how international politics works,” English said.

After a 7-year hiatus, Gurry re-established a Model U.N. chapter at NU in 1999.

Since then, the group has received support from the international studies, history and Asian studies departments.

However, members must draft a constitution before gaining recognition from ASG.

Weinberg sophomore Rachel Lopez, a Model U.N. member and ASG senator, said it is unlikely that the group will receive ASG funding.

“In my experience, ASG would never fund us because they don’t think it serves a large number of students,” Lopez said.

Nonetheless, English said she is optimistic about the group’s future.

“Our goal for next year is to go to one conference per quarter,” English said.

Gurry credits the group’s success to an increase in freshmen participants that helped raise membership to more than 30 members.

“The freshmen are really enthusiastic,” Gurry said. “I’m glad they joined because I know they will continue.”