USM Professors to Debate War in Iraq

By Michael Newsom, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.

Mar. 29–Two University of Southern Mississippi professors will debate the war in Iraq on Thursday at Gulfport High School.

The lecture, part of the “Issues + Answers” lecture series sponsored by the university and the Sun Herald, will pit political science professor Lou Campomenosi against history professor and author James Pat Smith. The two will examine if the war is a war of necessity or a war of choice.

Smith said the Bush administration did not learn the lessons of history, and should have looked to other nations who had tried to establish democracies in other nations, and he will use the research he has done on British imperialism in the Middle East.

“There are a number of evils that lurk in victory,” he said.

He said throughout history, nations have become mired in lengthy occupations they have no choice but to continue.

Campomenosi takes the position that the war was necessary. He said the Clinton administration saw the tyranny of Saddam Hussein as a threat to global security. He said Democrats have since flip-flopped on the issue.

He said it is dangerous to ignore nations that want to develop weapons of mass destruction in a post- Sept. 11 world.

“You can’t have rogue states with terror and WMDs and think everything is going to be fine,” Campomenosi said.

“They want WMDs and they want nuclear weapons and they’ll use them.”

The debate will be followed by a question and answer session with the audience.

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If

you go

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Gulfport High School Auditorium, Perry Street

Who: Southern Miss faculty members Lou Campomenosi and James Pat Smith will debate the war in Iraq.

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