4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, January 24, 2001
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It's time to kick some terrorist ass
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
daily. letters@umich.edu
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
MIKE SPAHN
Editor in Chief
EMILY ACHENBAUM
Editorial Page Editor
I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take
it anymore. In case you weren't aware, a
plane was hijacked just the other day.
According to news reports, a Yemeni plane
carrying U.S. Ambassador Barbara Bodine
and 90 others was hijacked by an Iraqi
Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of
the Daily's editorial board. All other articles, letters and cartoons do not
necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
claiming to be a sup-
porter of Saddam
Hussein. Thankfully,
the event ended with-
out serious incident
after the man was
subdued.
On Oct. 12, the
USS Cole was the
victim of a terrorist
bombing that left 17
U.S. sailors dead and
39 wounded. Osama
bin Laden, Saudi mil-
lionaire and terrorist-
financier extraordi-
naire has been linked
to the bombing.
According to both
Russian and American
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Dmeadretoraton
Deadlines need to be extended
Sranden
Sanz
iropping e
Hammer
intelligence experts,
T he semester has just begun and for
many students there is still time to
relax during the day and take advantage
of the weekends guilt-free. While most
seminars and discussions sections that
meet only once a week have barely met
three times, the deadline to add or drop
a class or to switch a class to pass/fail
is today, far too early for students to
have gauged whether it is in their best
interest to elect a certain class or
decide how it is to be graded.
The pass/fail option not only gives
students more flexibility in their work-
load, but also offers them a chance to
take the risk of electing courses outside
of their concentration without worrying
about negative effects on their grade
point average. Electing a course on a
pass or fail basis, while reducing a
focus on grades and emphasizing a
learning focus, allows students the
opportunity to pursue a more diverse
course load. It also allows students to
enroll in classes that, while unrelated to
a their concentration, still explore a
subject in a depth not afforded by intro-
ductory classes that they might have
elected to fulfill distribution require-
ments.
The advantages to the pass/fail
option are numerous and can be.
expanded with an extension of the
deadline. While choosing to a take a
class on -a pass/fail basis does not
reduce the exposure to the knowledge
and information that an instructor and
other students have to offer, it does
reduce the amount of stress that inher-
ently accompanies any class at the Uni-
versity.
Students who have slightly less to
worry about academically have more
time to invest in worthwhile extracur-
ricular activities - activities that not
really trying, but I just can't understand
this.
Part of it, I'm sure, is good ol' American
hubris. We go through our daily lives in
Ann Arbor, South Bend, State College or
wherever and we just know it can't happen
here. That's a Middle-Eastern problem, we
say. That's a European problem, we say.
That's a big-city problem, we say. Guess,
what folks? It's everyone's problem because
it will happen - it's only a matter of when.
Another problem when confronting the
problem of terrorism is the fact that the
questions raised usually involve answers
people don't like. It's not always easy on
one's conscience when the clear and intelli-
gent solution involves a conscious decision
to end the life of another human being. But
you have to remember one thing - terror-
ists are, by definition, fanatics. Osama bin
Laden is not a representative of Islam or
Saudi Arabia or Saudi Arabians. He's giv-
ing them a bad name (in the eyes of many
Americans) that they don't deserve.
Taking that into account, the United
States must become more pro-active with its
counter-terrorism policy. We already have
the manpower and equipment in place -
we just need to use it.
In case you didn't know, there is a huge
difference between counter-terrorism and
anti-terrorism. Anti-terrorism involves
tightening security and preparing defenses
so that a possible target is "terrorist-proof."
Counter-terrorism involves actively hunting
down and killing the bad guys before they
can do their thing. No court of law - just
trial by two nine-millimeter slugs through
the forehead and judgement in the next
world.
Would it surprise you to know that there
are currently three units in the United States
(two military and one civilian) that special-
ize in counter-terrorism and five more Spe-
cial Operations units that are well versed in
only contribute to the development of a
well-rounded individual but also are
looked favorably upon by potential
employers and graduate school admis-
sions officers. The arts, student govern-
ment, the Greek system and other
organizations often have as much to
offer in the way of education as the
typical three-credit elective and added
time for a part time job can help to
relieve part of the burden of tuition and
living expenses.
Another problem inherent in too
early a date for finalizing schedules is
that oftentimes professors will not
assign major assignments until later in
the term. It is often these larger assign-
ments that define a student's grade and
it is impossible to gauge an instructor's
grading standards and style before such
an assignment has been handed in an
returned. And if larger projects and
tests have occurred by the deadline, it
is unlikely that they will have been
graded, returned and discussed.
The option of dropping a class later
in the semester due to unforeseen cir-
cumstances can greatly reduce course
related anxiety. While it may be diffi-
cult to add a class later in the semester,
a risk which students should be wary
of, the flexibility afforded by a l'ater
deadline can only increase the possibil-
ity for a student's happiness with their
schedule.
The deadline for deciding to elect
classes on a pass/fail basis or to add or
drop classes should be extended. As
customers, students, should demand as
much flexibility as possible concerning
their schedules and academic life at the
University including having more time
to modify the classes that we are pay-
ing thousands of dollars a semester to
take.
counter-terrorism, even if it isn't their pri $
mary focus? That's right. Your tax dollars
are, right now, providing training and equip-
ment for over 4,000 American men whose
primary purpose is to hunt down and kill
other people at the government's behest.
I'm quite certain of this because I used to be
in one of these units.
But the problem, quite frankly, is the
fact that the administration of the past eight
years was very good at passing laws and*
talking tough (the Omnibus Counter-terror-
ism Act of 1995 was a good start) but was
too limp-dicked to actually use the tools at
it's disposal. Thus, cowards like Osama bin
Laden and Muammar Qaddafi have been
able to provide finances and training camps
for international terrorists with relative
impunity for almost a decade.
Something that amazes me is the percep-
tion other countries around the world have
regarding the U.S. Military. The genera.
consensus is that we are well-trained and.
well-equipped but, at a command level, lack
the ruthlessness necessary to be an effective
counter-terrorism force. Perhaps that goes
back to the whole "fight fair" and "mano a
mano" thing, which is anathema to counter-
terrorism. You must hit hard, fast, by sur-
prise and with overwhelming force
("violence of action" is the technical term).
George W. Bush has already made some
bonehead moves as President, but he has a.
chance to do something correct here. The
counter-terrorism policy needs an overhaul.
I don't want to ever again sit in front of the
television with tears of rage rolling down
my face like I did after the USS Cole disas-
ter.
And, if necessary, I'll volunteer to come
out of retirement. I'm sure someone has
work for a guy who speaks Arabic and
knows his way around an H & K MP5.
- Branden Sanz can be reached via
e-mail at hamrhead@umich.edu.
bin Laden, who lives in Afghanistan, has
extended his long arm to 45 different
nations. Furthermore, it has been reported
that last year bin Laden planned attacks on a
U.S. warship in Jordan, American tourists
traveling in Jordan and the west coast of the
United States.
The west coast. Can you believe that?
As college students, we try to "think
globally," or at least we say that we do. We
worry about deforestation in South America
and the AIDS rate in Congo. We ponder the
future of Israel/Palestine and we lament the
working conditions of people in Indonesia.
Yet, for all the emphasis we put on issues
that are thousands of miles distant, the pos-
sibility of someone launching a chemical or
biological attack in downtown San Francis-
co isn't a popular topic of discussion. I'm
'It wouldn't be a surprise to me if he even lost in Florida.'
'That's going to be rather interesting for a man
to lose a popular vote and the electoral vote
and still be president.'
- University history professor Sidney Fine on President George W Bush.
0
McQuinn incorrect,
social anthropology
not being terminated
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing in response to the column
by Erin McQuinn titled "Lost majors, lost
tiara" which appeared in the Jan. 23 edition
of the Daily. McQuinn contends that the
concentration in social anthropology has
been terminated by the LSA Dean's Office.
That contention is completely wrong.
The concentration in social anthropolo-
gy still exists, the Dean's Office has made
no plans to terminate it and, in fact, we
have not even discussed this issue. Even in
cases where there is a decision to terminate
a concentration, all students currently
enrolled in that concentration are "grandfa-
thered" so that they can complete the con-
centration and do not have to change
majors.
ROBERT OWEN
LSA ASSOCIATE DEAN OF
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
RaJi's defense ofT so-
called right' is out of
touch, unlike Bush
TO THE DAILY:
I was absolutely disgusted by Manish
Raiji's column concerning the 28th anniver-
sary of Roe v. Wade ("The first day: An
attack on 28 years of freedom," 1/23/01).
He uses loaded language to try to obscure
the fact that his logic defending a woman's
so-called right to choose is hopelessly
flawed and full of contradictions.
While Raiji acknowledges that an
unborn child is certainly alive, his statement
that abortion is "certainly not an issue of
life, it's an issue of autonomy" is dead
wrong. What makes this claim even more
outrageous is that Raiji also claims to be
personally opposed to abortion on moral
grounds, i.e. that it is wrong to kill a
defenseless unborn child.
People like Raiji who know something is
wrong and then apologize for its existence
and even defend it, are nothing short of
cowards. If you believe abortion to be mur-
der you have an obligation to stand up and
say so and then do everything in your
power to try to end it.
I was at the March for Life in Washing-
ton, D.C. along with 22 other pro-life stu-
dents from the University this past Monday
and we marched alongside tens of thou-
sands of our fellow Americans from every
background imaginable.
In regard to abortion, it is Raiji and
other elitists like him who are the ones out
of touch with most Americans, not Presi-@
dent George W. Bush.
ANDREW SHIRVELL
LSA JUNIOR
PRESIDENT, STUDENTS FOR LIFE
Po Wer procecafs
Deregulation must proceed carefully
n the past few weeks, utility compa-
nies in California have been forced to
institute occasional rolling blackouts as
they scrambled to find enough electrical
power to meet demand. Although the
power problems in California have a
number of causes, the recent deregulation
of California utilities has almost certainly
contributed to the power problems.
Although a direct comparison cannot be
made between California and Michigan,
the recent events there should indicate
the risks involved in power deregulation.
In light of complications in California
and elsewhere, a number of states have
either frozen or canceled deregulation
plans. Last spring, the
Michigan state legisla- Qorrectly
ture passed a bill insti- mplem en
tuting power regulation
in our state. Although deregulat
the Michigan plan is the posid
unique, deregulation
should only proceed reducingf
with caution. costsho
In California, a
number of factors have deregulat
exacerbated the power proceed c
problem: Explosive
growth in the power-hungry high-tech
sector, more homes and commercial
developments and the high price of natur-
al gas. The major power companies have
taken heavy losses because of the whole-
sale nower nrice regulations put into
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if forced to undersell their gas. Con-
sumers Energy began a program allowing
100,000 of its customers to buy natural
gas from other providers, but part of this
program was a freeze in the price they
could charge, meant to encourage other
companies to court these consumers.
Because natural gas prices have sky-
rocketed in recent years, Consumers
Energy has taken huge losses, partially
compensated by the state through a $45
million tax write-off. The company is
behind in its schedule to offer choice to
all 1.6 million customers in Michigan.
Michigan has two traditional produc-
ers of power: Detroit Edison and Con-
sumers Energy.
Because both rely
d, power mostly on coal-fired
power plants, they are
on has expected to remain
ility of immune to the high
natural gas prices that
ower have wrought havoc in
fever, California. Also, the
deregulation plan in
on should Michigan allows the
sutiously. utility companies to
own their own power
generation plants, unlike plans elsewhere
that differentiate between power produc-
ing companies and power distributors.
The May 2000 deal allows the state
regulating body - the Public Service
Commission - to allow power compa-
CHIP CULLEN GRINDING THE NIB
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By Fadi Kiblawi
Daily Editorial Page Writer
The radio blared, "The people are dying
here! We hear the voice of death. Do you
understand? We hear the voice of death!" Min-
utes passed before the systematic explosions
from the shelling ceased. The result, over 100
defenseless and innocent refugees killed at the
United Nations camp at Qana, Lebanon. Who
drew that "voice of death" on that April after-
noon? Israel murdered the civilians in a blatant
act of inhumanity and violation of international
law.
Now, as we enter into the new millennium,
war in the Middle East persists. Lately, there
seems to be a regression, rather than progres-
sion, in the peace process. The conflict is not
one based on Muslims and Christians versus
Jews; rather it is a conflict of humanity against
inhumanity. It is unfortunate that the past 53
years, inhumanity has been winning. The Unit-
ed States needs to take a more aggressive stance
I0
) fair in 'hnposhW llinmaon laW
Lebanon. During the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, states, "The Occupying Power shall not deport
another 300,000 Palestinians were displaced, or transfer parts of its own civilian population
many for the second time, as Israel expanded its into the territory it occupies." Therefore, Israel's
territory illegally. Today the number of Pales- settlements in the Occupied Territory including
tinian refugees has reached over 5 million. East Jerusalem are in clear violation of interna-
Their assertion for their right to return home are tional law.
based on common sense, morality, humanity Presently, over one-third of U.S. foreign aid
and (if that's not enough) international law and (more than $4 billion) goes to Israel, even
countless UN resolutions. though they comprise less than .001 percent of
UN resolution 194, created in December the world's population and have one of the
1948 and reaffirmed 40 times since then, clearly world's highest per capita incomes. Further-
states that the Palestinian "refugees wishing to more, how can we forget the 34 brave Ameri-
return to their homes and live at peace with their can men who lost their lives in the USS Liberty
neighbors should be permitted to do so at the naval vessel from an attack by the armed forces
earliest practical date." Israel entered the United of Israel or Jonathon Pollard, the Israeli spy
Nations agreeing to accept this resolution but caught in one of the worst cases of espionage mW
has yet to do so. UN resolution 242, created U.S. history. How many of you are comfortable
after the 1967 colonization, demands the "with- with the fact that your tax dollars are funding
drawal of Israeli forces from territories occu- the killing of innocent human beings whose
pied in the recent conflict." Article 27 of the only crime was not being Jewish?
Geneva Accords states, "Persons (under control All of these U.N. resolutions and accords
of an occupying power) shall at all times be are not made to piss people off. They are based
humanely treated and shall be protected against on human rights and morals. Their conditions