Former U.S. Rep. John Kasich, R-Ohio, advocated using military force to end Saddam Hussein’s rule in Iraq.
“We should go to war with Iraq,” Kasich said. “It’s not likely that Hussein will give up his weapons. If he did he would be disgraced in the Arab world.”
The fireside chat took place at the Kuhn Honors and Scholars House. A crowd of more than 100 was crammed into a small room, and many spilled over into an adjacent room.
“We wanted this to be something special for students, something fun,” said Richard Herrmann, director of the Mershon Center, which co-sponsored the event. “John Kasich is a prominent person in the media and an Ohio State alum, so this was a great opportunity.”
Kasich’s talk highlighted his views on why military action is a realistic option.
Kasich said the continuous violation of the United Nations peace agreement justifies action in Iraq.
“The world has fundamentally ignored the rules it laid down on Iraq in 1991. Complete access, accompanied by military forces, is necessary,” Kasich said.
Not everyone shared Kasich’s point of view.
“We are opposed to the war. The sanctions have been killing Iraqis; they are an attack on the people,” said Nick Crane, president of the campus Green Party.
Kasich said he hopes there can be a smooth change to a sound ruler in Iraq after U.S. intervention.
“The U.S. military will have to stabilize the region, then we need to quickly transition to a legitimate leader. Karzai’s transition to legitimate power in Afghanistan is a good model. Long-time occupation is not good for the U.S. or the world,” Kasich said.
Again, Kasich’s view proved controversial.
“Chaos will ensue in Iraq after the removal of a leader, and it would hurt the people,” Crane said. “We need to change our foreign policy before we demand other nations change theirs.”
The fear that Hussein will obtain weapons of mass destruction underscored Kasich’s speech.
“I don’t want Hussein to have a nuclear weapon, and I’m not willing to risk that he wouldn’t use it against America,” Kasich said. “The best way to prevent war is to disarm Iraq.”
Crane said he doesn’t believe Hussein would use nuclear weapons against America.
“It would put his leadership in jeopardy, and he wouldn’t put himself in that situation. There is nothing to substantiate the claim that he would use nuclear weapons against us,” Crane said.
To reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, the United States needs to make sure countries are in a stable enough situation that they wouldn’t need to use them, Kasich said. He said gutsy leadership, hard decisions and courage are necessary to eliminate the threat.
“It’s hypocritical for the U.S. to demand that other countries disarm when we have the largest supply of nuclear weapons. Possession doesn’t imply use,” Crane said.
