Students give proposal mixed reviews

News last night of a proposed Soviet-Iraqi peace initiative did not hit home on campus with the same impact as the start of the war. Across campus, students reaction to the Soviet-Iraqi peace initiative, like their reaction to most issues surrounding the war, was mixed. The spectrum of views ranged from support for President Bush's caution to ones of frustration with his unwillingness to negotiate. Many students, however, had not yet heard of the peace proposal, and at many places on and around campus, students were watching NBC's Thursday night sit-coms or televised hockey rather than news broadcasts. The Soviet plan -- outlined in eight points -- included a bilateral cease-fire, a complete and unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait, and a release of all prisoners of war. The Moscow plan did not include demands that Iraq pay Kuwait for war damage and also ignores previous Iraqi demands for "linkage" of a resolution of its attack to the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Several students said they hoped the plan would stave off a seemingly imminent ground campaign. "[Bush] is sitting with a fragmented coalition and a war no one really wants," Wharton and Engineering senior Marcus Causey said last night. "[The offer] is at least a starting ground." But others said Bush should not negotiate a peace where Saddam remains in power. "Hussein has got to get out of power in Iraq and he's got to get out of Kuwait," said College sophomore Steve Kavic, a Stouffer College House resident. "The U.S. should stay there until that happens." Francis Mataac, a Wharton sophomore, agreed, saying that Bush "has got to go ahead with what he's doing." "We should continue fighting until Saddam is removed from power." But College sophomore Jeremy Fisch said he thinks Saddam would simply be replaced by another dictator. "Saddam Hussein is just one of many dictators in the Middle East," Fisch said. "He is certainly the worst, with the possible exception of [Syrian President Haffez] Assad. If he goes, another puppet government [will be established.]" College freshman David Becker said if the U.S. allies accept the proposal, Bush must also. "If Kuwait and especially the Arab countries in the region, support it," the Community House resident said, then "we shouldn't [wage war] anymore if we're all alone." Bart Prins, a Wharton sophomore from the Netherlands, said there is support for the American actions in his country. "In Holland, they pretty much also support Bush's standpoint," he said. But he cautioned against hoping for a quick end to the war. He said many in Europe, like himself, foresee the conflict lasting up to two years. Several students also spoke out against the continuing American presence in the Persian Gulf. "I think any diplomatic solution is the way to go," said College freshman Cherie Gerstadt. "If it's going to save people's lives, [Bush] should make every attempt to do so." But Fisch said he feared Bush would make his decision based on maintaining American power in the Middle East and winning re-election in 1992. College sophomore Reshma Memon said last night Bush should accept the proposal, but the American people may not want to compromise. She pointed to an impromptu survey of one of Political Science Lecturer Adam Garfinkle's classes where she and only five other students said the U.S. should accept the peace proposal, while about 90 percent of the class said they would advocate fighting until Saddam was killed. "I was really surprised and shocked," Memon said. "I thought everyone else valued lives on both sides as much as I did, but I guess not." Progressive Student Alliance member David Saries said the proposed peace plan fulfills the objectives of the United Nations and the U.S. should accept it. "I think that the resolution is that Iraq must withdraw from Kuwait," the College sophomore said. "If they move out, we know they've been weakened." Saries also questioned the apparent desire by U.S. officials to seek the removal of Saddam from power in his beseiged Arab country. "He's certainly not the greatest threat in the region," he said. With a powerful military and nuclear weapons, "Israel is the largest threat." Wharton senior Kevin Malcarney said Gorbachev's diplomacy in bringing about the proposal should not weigh highly. "The idea that the Soviet Union is negotiating a peace settlement doesn't hold a whole lot of merit," Malcarney said. "They haven't done anything but talk to [Iraqi Foreign Minister] Tariq Aziz." "If its the only thing they do, how can we take them seriously?"

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