'Things worth fighting for'

Foreign policy team visits OSU

COLUMBUS - President Clinton's foreign policy team met yesterday at Ohio State University with a rowdy crowd in a town hall meeting to discuss the current situation in Iraq.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Secretary of Defense William Cohen and National Security Adviser Sandy Berger met for 90 minutes with a crowd that often yelled and chanted in protest of possible U.S. military action against Iraq.

Albright said the goal of the meeting was to "explain the policy ramifications" of the Iraqi situation.

"Iraq is a long way from Ohio, but what happens there matters a great deal here," Albright said.

SARA STILLMAN/Daily Defense Secretary William Cohen, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and National Security Adviser Sandy Berger prepare themselves yesterday before the International Town Hall Meeting during which all three were pummelled with harsh questions from an audience at Ohio State University's St. John's Arena.

The discussion was interrupted early and often. Protesters began chanting anti-war slogans during Albright's opening comments and continued through much of the debate.

All of the panel members said a diplomatic solution to the conflict is the preferred option, but a solution must include free, unfettered access for United Nations weapons inspectors to all Iraqi weapons sites.

"We want to solve this peacefully," Berger said. "But there are some things worth fighting for.

"The UN inspectors have been remarkably successful. The best result would be to get them back in," he said.

Berger said the aim of a possible airstrike would be twofold: to diminish Saddam Hussein's weapons and reduce the threat to Iraq's neighbors.

"We will send a clear message to would-be tyrants and terrorists that we will do what is necessary to protect our freedom," Berger said.

Albright said Iraq will not easily recover from airstrikes if they occur.

"If there is a strike, it will be substantial. He will need more than a Band-Aid," Albright said.

Twice during the program, members of the audience were removed from the arena by Secret Service agents and OSU police. One of those people was T.J. Ghose, a representative of the OSU African Student Union.

Ghose said he attempted to cooperate with police, but they would not listen to him.

"They threw me up against the rails and searched me all over," Ghose said.

The other person removed from the audience was Rich Theis, a freelance writer from Columbus. Theis' yelling caused the broadcast to cut to an unplanned commercial. After a brief shouting match with CNN host Bernard Shaw, Secret Service agents removed Theis.

Theis returned at the end of the event to voice his opinion.

"This is not an open forum," Theis said. "It is a media event held by CNN."

Ghose said he agreed with Theis. He said the ASU came to the event under the impression that it would not be a completely open discussion.

"It was a staged media event," Ghose said. "We weren't going to be fooled."

Some members of the OSU student body said the outbursts were a disgrace to the university.

bursts were a disgrace to the university.

"I'm ashamed of the actions of some people here. They have no respect. These people are cabinet members," said OSU sophomore Ryan Weddle.

Cohen said the various opinions represented at the meeting were a testament to the U.S. style of government.

"We have people here representing opposition and criticism, and you would not be able to do that in many countries, including Iraq," Cohen said.

OSU first-year student Greg Wilder said he was embarrassed by many of the people at the meeting.

"Now people view Ohio State as a place that can't behave itself," Wilder said.

LSA senior Elias Xenos said the use of force in Iraq is not a good idea.

"I'm firmly opposed to the U.S. using force," Xenos said. "The situation has been sensationalized by the media and treated like a game where the goal is to crucify the other team. Those who advocate the use of force are probably poorly educated."

Some people questioned U.S. policy, saying that not even Iraq's neighbors support proposed airstrikes. But Albright and Cohen said the surrounding nations are aware of Saddam's threat.

"I have talked to the neighbors. They are concerned," Albright said.

"They are well aware of the threat," Cohen said. "They know there is a bully there."

Albright said concerns about civilian loss of life will be seriously considered if airstrikes occur, but she said she thinks the U.S. cares more for the Iraqis than Saddam.

"I am willing to make a bet with anyone here that we care more about the Iraqi people than Saddam Hussein does," Albright said.

OSU senior Omar Hamid said the United States is only concerned with Iraq because of economic interests.

"Saddam Hussein is the person we're most concerned with now that we have an economic interest (in Iraq)," Hamid said.

Cohen stressed that the U.S. military is ready and willing to complete whatever orders it receives from the government. A U.S. soldier calling into the program from Germany confirmed Cohen's claim.

"If a soldier's life needs to be lost, let it start with mine," the soldier said.

Some members of the audience said they felt the removal of Saddam from power was the only way to ensure world safety.

"I believe the only way to stop him is if we strike. We need to take him out," Weddle said. "He'll be back unless we take him out."

But Cohen said that is not going to happen because it would require a large ground invasion that would cost many lives.

"Our goal is not to topple Saddam Hussein, not to topple his nation," Cohen said. "We think we can contain him as we have for the past seven years."

-Daily Staff Reporter Will Nash

contributed to this report.

AP PHOTO Vergene Moser of Dayton, Ohio was one of about 150 protesters outside the International Town Hall Meeting yesterday.

02-19-98