Challenging ROTC to see other views
Andrew DeBerry
ND Changing Times
Those in ROTC at our schools can justifiably find many reasons to swell with national pride. We are inspired by the many unnamed soldiers who have put their face in the dirt to pay the price for our liberty. As Colin Powell has said, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."
Such soldiers have set a high standard for us who follow. We can be faithful to them by hearing the challenges presented by the very citizens whose freedom we regard so highly. Doing so can only make us better officers.
While it is agreed that Saddam Hussein is a harsh dictator, we must scrutinize our leaders also. According to CNN, our president, vice president and national security adviser all have strong personal ties to energy industries: "Bush is a former director of Harken Energy Corporation, Cheney served as chief executive officer of Halliburton Energy Services Corporation and National Security Council Director Condoleezza Rice served on the board of directors of Chevron. The top 100 officials in the Bush administration have the majority of their personal investments, almost $150 million, in the traditional energy and natural resource sectors." These facts seem worthy of at least some thought in our discernment about the war.
According to the CIA's World Factbook, our military expenditure is over $276 billion, which is roughly one third of the world's total military expenditure. The U.S. figure is 210 times that of Iraq, which puts $1.3 billion towards its military. However, President Bush's press secretary Ari Fleischer said. "This is about preserving the peace and saving the lives of Americans."
On the other hand, such arguments can be interpreted to support the war effort. The president can couple virtuous intents with their economic expertise to reconstruct a better, stronger Iraq. And Iraq's $1.3 billion can still cause irreparable destruction against the United States or its own citizens under Hussein's direction. Also, despite the Pope's grave concerns about the war, he has made clear in his Catechism that without official government intelligence, he is not the proper authority to declare a war just.
Having neither the top secret information nor the gift of insight into politician's hearts, it seems difficult for anyone to concretely assert they know our leaders' motives. And that's where the health skepticism should arise for us who will serve.
Although our military does receive annual training about just conduct within war, politicians deciding the war efforts as a whole are fallible people with important practical and economic concerns who many not exclusively follow the Church's teachings that the laity is to animate. Therefore, we ironically seek out and learn from those who are frustrated by our government because we love our nation and the values we want it to embody. Engaging the issue will make us and the teams we lead more grounded in the integrity and moral courage our military is to exemplify.
Figures at Notre Dame act as our models to follow. Various instructors in ROTC and the Kroc Peace Institute have recurring lunches for dialogue. They learn by their relationship. During a recent meeting with Peter Quaranto, a student leader in Pax Christi, and an ROTC officer, open dialogue was praised for the educated, moral foundation is helps to build. College is an appropriate opportunity for such discourse as a time to let one's intellect explore deep and wonderful areas. As the officer noted, there is a problem if ROTC students are not able to address the arguments presented to them.
Consequently, next week's Pass In Review will present a special opportunity for us to hand each other along during this precarious ethical journey. ROTC students will gather in parade before Father Malloy. Pax Christi will gather also to promote challenging viewpoints worthy of ROTC's consideration during their process of developing leadership excellence. Perhaps we can demonstrate our common patriotism and regard for peace by coming together in dialogue and joint service projects in days to come.
Andrew DeBerry is a senior aerospace engineering major in Air Force ROTC with a brother deployed overseas. He sends his appreciation to all in the community who continue to pray for peace.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, April 10, 2003
