The United States must go to war with Iraq to preserve the safety of Americans, said journalist Elli Wohlgelernter to about 30 students and local residents Wednesday night.
In a speech titled “A Journalist’s View from Jerusalem,” Wohlgelernter spoke at the Fiedler Hillel Center about U.S. military involvement in the Middle East.
His appearance was sponsored by Students for Israel and co-sponsored by the Fiedler Hillel Center, Hillel Cultural Life, Center for International and Comparative Studies, and the political science and international studies departments.
Wohlgelernter argued that although it is popular to protest a potential war, those who do are ignoring the necessity of the cause. Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden both are dangerous terrorists who need to be defeated, he said.
“Not all war is evil,” he said. “This is a very important war that needs to be fought.”
He added that the United States must take military action even without U.N. support.
“There is no question this is going to happen,” Wohlgelernter said. “George Bush is not going down this path to be made a fool of. If the United States has to go it alone, the United States will go it alone.”
He compared protests against the current conflict to Vietnam War protests, although he said the dissenting ideology differed sharply.
“I was right to be against that war, and I’m right to be for this war,” he said.
Wohlgelernter has covered Middle East affairs for 11 years, and he is now an editor for the Jerusalem Post. Before then, he worked for the New York Post, FOX News and ABC News.
The event began with a pasta dinner, and after his short speech, Wohlgelernter and students argued over the moral implications of war.
Wohlgelernter said the United States must stop Saddam from continuing to build an arsenal of chemical and biological weapons, but leaders must try to limit the number of lives lost in Iraq.
Urgent action is necessary because Saddam will not negotiate with the United States in decreasing his supply of weapons.
“What is (Saddam) not capable of doing?” Wohlgelernter asked. “Can you promise me he’s not capable of bombing Northwestern University? Again, it comes down to my life or his life.”
Wohlgelernter termed the fight on terrorism “World War Three.”
“(Sept. 11) was an open declaration of war,” he said. “If we sit back, (Sept. 11) two is coming.”
Wohlgelernter said his conservative views contrast sharply with the majority of professionals in the media.
“The majority of media is liberal, left-wing media,” he said. “They tell their story from a liberal bias.”
Some attendees said they enjoyed hearing a new perspective to an extensively covered issue.
“I’m sure students heard something they had never heard before (tonight),” said David Newman, Jewish life coordinator for the Hillel Center.
Other attendees said they did not agree with all of Wohlgelernter’s opinions.
“I wouldn’t say my politics are similar to his, but it’s important to hear what’s out there,” said Tali Zechory, a Weinberg junior.
