With a war in Iraq a possibility and the United State’s international coalition for military action experiencing turbulence, two Syracuse University professors discussed the importance of foreign relations in times of war.

International relations professor and former U.S. ambassador Melvyn Levitsky and sociology professor Louis Kriesberg spoke about the foreign relations obstacles of the United States, the policies that have led up to the possible war with Iraq and what a war would mean for the future of U.S. foreign relations. The discussion was part of the Syracuse University forum to discuss a possible war in Iraq.

If the United States is to send troops into battle there are some important questions that must be answered by the administration first, Levitsky said. These would include if national security is at risk and if there is a chance that there are contacts between terrorist organizations and Iraq, which could result in terrorists being able to bring weapons of mass destruction into the United States, he said.

“Sept. 11 was not a failure of intelligence but a failure of imagination,” Levisky said. “We need to use imagination to see if weapons of mass destruction could find their way into terrorist hands.”

Other problems beside national security would arise from a U.S. strike against Iraq. These problems could include length of occupation and the reaction of the world if the United States pursued a war with Iraq with few allies, he said.

“Will we be seen as liberators or occupiers?” Levitsky said.

Kriesberg said one of the reasons it is important to not approach a situation like the United States is currently in without many allies is the fear of backlash from the Middle East region.

The United States could also take more alternative measures other than war such as the proposal made by France and Germany to the United Nations for an increase in the number of weapons inspectors in Iraq combined with United Nations troops in certain locations throughout the country, he said.

With a military as strong as that of the United States it is often easy to consider force before exhausting all foreign relations possibilities, Kriesberg said.

“When you have that kind of hammer a lot of things look like nails,” he said.

Levitsky said there is a need for a regime change but the Bush administration still needs to explain to the public some of their reason for thinking that going to war is necessary. The planning for the war has been public including public debate that has had a significant effect on the government, he said.

Associate Dean of Maxwell Robert McClure said the purpose of the forum was to have a lively informative discussion so citizens can act prudently in a public forum.

Abby Vogus, a junior public relations and international relations major, said the question and answer section of the forum was not very open and that instead of addressing the questions that were asked of them the professor related the questions to the issues they made during their opening points.

The next instalment of the War in Iraq forum will be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27 in Studio A of Newhouse II.

Published on February 13, 2003 at 12:00 pm