WepAtr
Wednesday
March 5,2003
02003 The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor, Michigan
* Vol. CXIII, No. 103
One-hundred-twelve years ofeditoralfreedom
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www.michigandailycom
U.S. may reconsider push for war resolution
WASHINGTON (AP) - With other nations'
opposition hardening, the White House left
open the possibility yesterday that it would not
seek a United Nations vote on its war-making
resolution if the measure was clearly headed
for defeat.
U.S. troop strength in the Persian Gulf
neared 300,000, and President Bush and his
advisers were looking beyond the diplomatic
showdown in-the U.N. to make plans for a pub-
lic relations buildup to potential war with Iraq.
One option under serious consideration was
Bush giving Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein a
final ultimatum, perhaps with a short-term
deadline, in an address next week, two senior
White House officials said.
The officials, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, stressed that a variety of options are
on the table and all depend on the outcome of a
U.N. Security Council debate on the U.S.-
backed war resolution. In a new blow, Russia's
top diplomat said Moscow may use its veto
against the measure.
Even without a veto from Russia, China or
France, the United States still doesn't have the
nine votes needed to win approval of the reso-
lution, according to both supporters and oppo-
nents. Many undecided council members are
looking for a compromise.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, in an inter-
view with RTL television of Germany, said that
early next week U.S. leaders would "make a
judgment on whether it's time to put the resolu-
tion up to a vote"
At the White House, spokesman Ari Fleischer
said, "The vote is desirable. It is not necessary."
Once the vote is resolved one way or anoth-
er, Bush will intensify his case for war, officials
said, barring unforeseen events such as Saddam
suddenly disarming or going into exile.
In addition to a possible address, they
have discussed a presidential news confer-
ence and a Cabinet meeting as ways for
Bush to communicate his plans to the nation
next week. He may stop short of a specific
ultimatum, officials said, but would make it
clear that war is imminent in other ways,
such as warning journalists and humanitari-
an workers to get out of Iraq.
Meanwhile, Bush telephoned leaders of India
and Egypt to discuss his plans. And officials said
Powell had had two telephone conversations and
a one-on-one meeting in recent days with Mexi-
can Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez in his
search for Mexican support.
The Army's oldest armored division, "Old
Ironsides," got its orders to head for the Persian
Gulf, and Pentagon officials said U.S. land, sea
and air forces were approaching 300,000 in the
region.
- N. Korea
condemns
military
exercises
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - After
North Korean fighter jets intercepted a
U.S. reconnaissance plane, the commu-
nist country said yesterday the threat of
armed confrontation on the Korean
Peninsula was growing because of
what it called U.S. aggression.
North Korea did not comment on the
interception of the plane. Its state-run
media instead criticized annual U.S.-
South Korean military exercises that
began yesterday, saying they were
preparation for an attack. The exercise,
named Foal Eagle, ends April 2.
"This Foal Eagle exercise is escalat-
ing the danger of armed clashes on the
Korean Peninsula," said Minju Joson, a
North Korean newspaper.
"If the eagle swoops down on us, a
nuclear war will break out and it is
clear that the whole Korean nation will
not escape nuclear holocaust," said the
report, which was monitored by South
Korea's Yonhap news agency.
North Korea routinely condemns
such exercises, but the belligerent rhet-
oric and the interception of the Ameri-
can plane come amid fears the North
could make nuclear bombs within
months.
US. military officials say the annual
maneuver is "defense-oriented" and is
not related to the nuclear dispute.
Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon
spokesman, said four North Korean
fighter jets had approached the U.S.
plane over the Sea of Japan on Sunday,
coming as close as 50 feet. One used
its radar to identify the plane as a tar-
get, but there was no hostile fire, he
said.
Davis said it was the first such inci-
dent since 1969, when a North Korean
plane shot down a U.S. Navy EC-121
surveillance plane, killing all 31 Amer-
icans aboard.
In Washington, White House
spokesman Ari Fleischer said President
Bush "believes that the issue of North
Korea can be handled diplomatically."
"This is a matter that we will
See KOREA, Page 2
Former he
Bear meets bear
Fearing division,
state House will
not criticize
U,
By Andrew McCormack
Daily Staff Reporter
A resolution in the Michigan House
of Representatives opposing the Uni-
versity's admissions policies has
passed its committee hearing, Speaker
Rick Johnson (R-LeRoy), who sup-
ports the resolution, chose to not put it.
up for a vote because of the division it
might cause, said Emily Gerkin, John-
son's spokeswoman.
"It's a very contentious issue, and
out of respect for both sides, we didn't
feel a vote was necessary," she said.
"The purpose was not to divide the
House. The speaker wanted to make
his point known, but it wasn't worth
causing a rift in the House."
The resolution might, however, be
voted on at a later date, she said.
"When anything is on the counter, it
is always eligible for a vote from now
until 2004. We don't have any plans to
bring it up in the immediate future, but
I wouldn't rule anything out," she said.
The resolution, which was spon-
sored by Rep. Jack Brandenburg (R-
Harrison Twp.), urges the University to
discontinue its admissions policies that
are based on "race, geography or other
non-meritorious factors," and for "the
Supreme Court to rule against the Uni-
versity" for practicing such policies.
"I feel it's a quota system based on
race. I don't like quota systems," Bran-
denburg said. "When you give a per-
son 20 points for the color of their skin
and a white person nothing, he is start-
ing 20 points behind."
"I know where Michigan's coming
from - they're trying to right the
wrongs of the past - but two wrongs
don't make a right. You cannot end dis-
crimination with discrimination," he
added.
But other lawmakers disagree with
Brandenburg's judgment of the Univer-
sity's policies. Rep. Chris Kolb (D-
Ann Arbor), who opposed the
resolution, said he feels some non-aca-
demic factors are quite relevant to Uni-
versity admissions.
"I testified at the committee hearing
against the resolution," Kolb said.
"Test scores and grades do not allow
you to judge the entire student nor do
See HOUSE, Page 3
DANNY MOLOSHOKIDaily
Yves Philippe, nicknamed "Bear" by his parents, reaches for the baby bear sculpture as both are held
by their mothers yesterday in front of Blimpy Burger. The bears are holding an anti-war sign.
Students advocate u
peaceful alternative to war
By Michael Gurovitsch
Daily Staff Reporter
Artists expressing their opposition to the potential war with
Iraq greeted students walking through the Diag yesterday
afternoon with monologues and music. Acting Out, a local
activist theater troupe, organized the protest in hopes of break-
ing down the barrier between activists and the public.
The protesters, who wore white signs that said, "Make Art
Not War," recited works of poetry, most of which came from a
collection titled "100 Poets Against the War."
"(Our purpose is to) flood the Diag with performance so
anyone who walks by becomes immediately engaged with the
message,"RC freshman Ryan Bates said.
"This is a protest performance against the war ... a way for
ad
* of Indonesia
addresses
Islam, terror
By Min Kyung Yoon
Daily Staff Reporter
In a political environment where terrorism and
Islam have taken center stage, Abdurrahman
Wahid, the former president of Indonesia and for-
mer head of the Nahdlatul Ulama - a Muslim
organization counting more than 40 million mem-
bers based on religious values - addressed these
issues last night to members of the University
community.
Wahid, who is blind, discussed terrorism in
Southeast Asia, the presence of militant Muslims in
Indonesia and the relationship between Islam and
the West. But much of his lecture, titled "Moderate
Muslim Assessment of Terrorism in Southeast
Asia," focused on the looming war in Iraq.
Wahid - or Gus Dur, as he is also known - is
a proponent of inter-ethnic tolerance, pluralism
and interfaith, which promotes moderate Muslim
views. He was president from 1999 to 2001, and
was educated in Indonesia, Egypt, Iraq and Cana-
da. Currently, he is a member of the advisory
board of NU.
The presence of militant Muslims presents a
continual threat to peace in Indonesia, Wahid said.
"Militant Muslims in Indonesia try to disturb
mn~a ac ;n the nacP of Rali " Wahid said
artists to use their talent to express their protest and educate
people creatively against the war" RC senior Margaret Con-
way said.
Protesters cited many reasons for their opposition to the
potential war. "The idea of pre-emptive strike on a country
we've damaged unimaginably in the last 10 years through
sanctions and bombings is wrong." RC senior Susan Harter
said. "Waging a war against the people is not OK."
"We are being shoved into this war in the wake of Septem-
ber 11 for motives other than what we're being told," Bates
said. "Iraq is not an imminent threat to security. Other methods
besides war should be used and exhausted."
"The idea of pre-emptive strike is against international
law," Conway said.
See ARTISTS, Page 3
Students urged
to protest war
by cutting class
By CarmenpJohnson
Daily Staff Reporter
A student strike today at the University protesting military
action in Iraq will coincide with 300 similar protests on
campuses around the country as part of the "Books not
Bombs: Nationwide Student Strike against the War."
Lectures, performances, panels and a rally on the Diag,
organized by Anti-War Action!, are designed to encourage stu-
dents to skip class and learn about the possible war in Iraq.
By striking classes, students are demanding that the Bush
administration redirect its public funds from the military to
education, strike organizer Megan Williamson said.
"We oppose the war and we also want the University
administration to officially declare their opposition to the
war," Williamson said. "Military research contracts should
be eliminated on campus," Williamson added, referring to
the possibility of the University hosting a newly proposed
Army biotechnology center.
See BOOKS, Page 2
5. .3
HLEY nArrn/ Daiy
California State University political science Prof. As'ad Abukhaill speaks about the
looming war in Iraq yesterday In the Michigan Union.
Prof criticizes U.S.
war 'p*,ro,,paganda'
By Rahwa Ghebre-Ab
Daily Staff Reporter
LISA V5Ho,1NZKU1~0~ WiJ
Former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid
speaks yesterday at the School of Social Work.
referring to the October 2002 bombings in Bali,
which were attributed to terrorists.
Indonesia has been the site of continual con-
flict between Muslims and Christians, especially
in recent years with the emergence of terrorist
campaigns by the Laskar Jihad, he said. The
group is a paramilitary organization whose mem-
bers say they are waging a holy war against
Christians in the Moluccan Islands.
While militant terrorist activities continue to be
a problem in Indonesia, Wahid said, the threat is
diminishing. "All in all, terrorist attacks are sub-
siding," Wahid said.
He added that if the government is able to
"It's important that we do not
equip students in our universities
with ideologies or partisanship -
they can do that on their own," said
As'ad Abukhalil in his message to
students, faculty and Ann Arbor resi-
dents in the Pendleton Room of the
Michigan Union last night. "Skepti-
cism, however, is necessary at this
point with the approach of the largest
U.S. propaganda campaign since
World War I."
Abukhalil, a professor of political
science at California State Universi-
ty, spoke last night on the relation-
ship between Israel, Afghanistan
and U.S. propaganda to the impend-
inv war onn Irac
"I want to dispel myths about the
U.S. administration, why they say they
are going to war and their true actions
taken thus far," Abukhalil added.
"He gave us cold hard facts with
sources to back those facts up at every
citation," first-year Law School stu-
dent Michelle D'amico said.
"I like that we can check out all his
information and that it will probably
be correct," D'amico added.
Abukhalil addressed Israel's role in
the possible war, primarily the coun-
try's relationship with the United
States.
"Israel, along with the U.K., is the
only other country that will be notified
about the war before it actually hap-
pens.... Saudi Arabia, Iran and Kuwait,
the countries who will likely be the
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