In the wake of highly publicized anti-war protests throughout the country and on college campuses, a Gallup poll released Friday found 66 percent of Americans age 18-29 support attacks on Iraq, and 75 percent of adults age 30-49 support the war.
UW history professor Jeremi Suri said many students are unsure of their stance regarding the Iraqi conflict.
“In comparison to Vietnam, students are much more confused today,” Suri said. “They are not comfortable with the United States taking military action alone, but they are also not comfortable with doing nothing.”
The hesitant attitude of students toward the war contrasts sharply with the opinion of some faculty members who ardently oppose the conflict. Some UW faculty members spent their youth protesting American intervention in Vietnam and note the similarities between the two conflicts.
“A large number of faculty members were in graduate school in the 1960s, and they tend to think of this war in the context of Vietnam,” Suri said.
Current students, however, may have a more limited context with which to analyze the Iraqi situation.
“In that sense, I think students are much more sophisticated today,” Suri said. “They see the differences between Vietnam and the current conflict.”
UW students expressed concerns about both the war and the anti-war movement.
“While I am opposed to the war and while the protesters have good hearts, their slogans do more to anger people than to convince them,” UW sophomore Vipul Chaudhary said. “You’re not going to convince anyone by saying, ‘Impeach Bush,’ or ‘Regime change at home.'”
UW sophomore Travis Kriplean said the situation is not so simple.
“In a situation with so many complex factors, I find it amazing that so many people feel that they have a grasp on what should be done,” Kriplean said. “I don’t pretend to know all the factors myself, and therefore I leave it up to the people closer to the situation to integrate the factors into policy.”
Others expressed disappointment with the lack of anti-war sentiment among students.
“It bothers me that people aren’t outraged at our current situation in world affairs, especially at a place like Madison, which is teeming with intelligent people,” freshman Lily Farrar said.
Some UW students say the poll numbers don’t surprise them.
“It’s certainly positive, especially in the face of the very vocal minority who are trying to give the impression that there is lesser support for the war than actually exists,” UW law student Ben Krautkramer said.
Professor Suri said how the war progresses will have a great impact on student opinion.
“The way the war is progressing now, and by all indications it is going well, I think you will see more and more students come out in favor of it,” Suri said. “If we get bogged down, though, more and more students will be opposed.”
