When it comes to the war in Iraq, students are split on the issues.
In a recent Cronkite School survey on the war in Iraq, conducted Sept. 22-26, about half of the 152 ASU students surveyed said the invasion and occupation of Iraq was the right thing to do, and that Saddam Hussein was preparing weapons of mass destruction to use against the United States.
Joshua Wilson, a computer information systems senior who participated in the survey, said Iraq's violation of U.N. laws (set in place after the Gulf War) warranted some type of military force.
Meghan Pinckard, an English literature senior, said at the time of the Sept. 11 attacks, there was a feeling of direct retribution.
"You want to get back at whoever was doing it," she said.
About a third (30 percent) of respondents strongly disagreed with the statement: "Saddam Hussein is in league with al-Qaida in the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States," compared to the 14 percent who strongly agreed.
"I know that having al-Qaida out of there is beneficial, but as far as them [Iraqis] being better off, I might have to say no, they're not better off with the exception of al-Qaida not being in control," Pinckard said.
Reach the reporter at shaina.levee@asu.edu.
