As forces from the United States and Great Britain bombed Afghanistan in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, most Northwestern students went about their normal Sunday routines, pausing to reflect on events many called “expected.”
The news that allied forces had commenced bombing of several Afghanistan cities, following the refusal of the Taliban government to turn over prime terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden, hit campus around lunchtime.
A group of 15 to 20 students eating lunch at Norris University Center watched television updates and listened to President Bush vow that the Taliban “will pay a price” for harboring bin Laden.
Students Kelly Meissner, J.D. Robertson and Sarah Isgur praised the U.S. government for taking a “step-by-step” approach to the retaliation strikes.
“We all knew it was coming,” said Meissner, a Weinberg junior. “I like how the emphasis is not on the Afghanistan people but on the Taliban. The government is making it clear it doesn’t want to harm civilians.”
Weinberg sophomore Alexander Sherman, also watching the events unfold at Norris, was more conflicted on his views of U.S. action. Sherman, who is from New York, said he “looks at everything a little differently now.”
“At first I had very strong anti-war sentiments because of my fear this would escalate,” he said. “But realistically, something needed to be done. Retaliation was necessary, but that doesn’t mean I believe in having collateral damage where other civilizations have to be harmed.”
Josh Furman, co-president of Students for Israel, said he hopes the attacks are swift and accomplish their objectives. He also was pleased to hear about humanitarian food drops to starving Afghans.
“I hope the action is target-specific and we don’t get ourselves into an all-out war,” said Furman, a Weinberg sophomore. “We are proceeding the proper way, but an an all-out war would be disastrous.”
History and religion Prof. Jacob Lassner, who teaches a class on Jewish-Muslim relations, said he believes the brunt of fighting will be done by Taliban opponents in Afghanistan, not U.S. ground forces. Lassner said he would be surprised if the U.S. had considered a massive invasion with ground forces before the air strikes.
“I don’t think anybody who understands military in the region would have expected a massive intervention in Afghanistan,” he said. “The Taliban doesn’t have that much in assets. If this military campaign is aimed at reducing the Taliban’s assets to nil, then America has the capacity to take out all of their assets rather quickly.”
Saying he wouldn’t be surprised if all of the Taliban’s assets, including trucks and tanks, were gone by tomorrow, Lassner said removing the Taliban from power altogether would not represent “an extraordinarily difficult problem.”
Student groups were also affected by the attacks. The Muslim-cultural Student Association postponed activities associated with its National Scarves for Solidarity Day, including a panel about Muslim women who wear traditional hijabs. Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, holding its annual teeter-totter philanthropy event at The Rock under a “NU Stands United” banner, was already planning to donate funds raised to the Red Cross.
Kevin Tuazon, Lambda Chi vice president, said more groups might switch their causes to benefit those associated with the attacks.
“Right now we are focusing on helping the U.S. victims,” said Tuazon, a Weinberg junior. “But I’m sure there will soon be relief efforts for those in Afghanistan too.”
Hisham Zaid of the Arab Cultural Society said NU student groups need to continue working together to educate the campus on cultural issues relating to the attacks.
“There are a growing group of people against war who come from both sides saying we should solve this diplomatically,” said Zaid, a McCormick senior from the West Bank. “I don’t believe war is the answer, and I think the U.S. is digging a hole it might not be able to come out of.”
Zaid urged the U.S. to increase its reassurances to Muslims that the war is not against them.
“The U.S. has to differentiate between a terrorist group and the rest of the Muslim world,” he said. “The U.S. hasn’t been able to show that successfully, or present the Arab world with some of the evidence they were asking for (relating to bin Laden’s involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks.)”
Furman said it is “absolutely important” that Students for Israel and Hillel continue to hold events with Arab and Muslim groups, increasing campus dialogue.
“More than ever, attention is shifting to the Middle East,” he said. “It is important that our organizations lead the way in educating this campus and increasing awareness.”
