N.C. Central University students had the opportunity to hear the pros and cons of U.S. involvement in the Iraq war at the Miller-Morgan Auditorium from political science experts at the forum “The People Speak: America Debates Its Role in the World,” on Thursday Oct. 6.

The forum, which was one of the 1,000 sponsored nationwide by the United Nations Foundation, was held in debate form pitting Peter D. Feaver, Duke political science professor against Heidi H. Hobbs, assistant professor of political science at N.C. State University.

Feaver is the former director for defense policy and arms control and a national security council staff member during the Clinton administration.

Hobbs is the director of the masters of international studies program in the department of political science and public administration.

Hobbs, in her speech, “The Need for United States Commitment to International Laws and Institutions,” said that it was wrong for the United States to attack Iraq without the support of the United Nations.

“The decision to go it alone in Iraq has set back the United States and the United Nations,” said Hobbs “The United States cannot be policeman to the United Nations.

Hobbs also said that the $87 billion that Congress has approved for the rebuilding of Iraq may pull money away from homeland security.

Feaver, in his speech, “The Need for Preemptive Use of U.S. Military Force Against Threats of WMD,” said that the U.S. government was justified in resorting to war.

“War is awful, but it is a necessary evil according to the United Nations, for it can combat evils worse than itself,” said Feaver.

“Sometimes it is more preferable to stop an action before it occurs than to punish someone for it afterward.”

Feaver said that the only negative effect of the war is that the U.S. government has to meet the high cost of the war.

“Because the United States acted alone, they have to foot the bill,” he said.

In the question and answer session after the presentations, some people said they were concerned about how the U. S. government plans to maintain peace in Iraq.

Feaver said that there was a need for commitment towards putting everything in order.

He said that a few Americans may be ready to send more troops, while a few more may be ready to get all the troops out, but most Americans agree that this is a mess we need to clean up.