Support for Current Military Action

In sharp contrast to the wider American public, a majority of students at Harvard College oppose the current U.S. military action against Iraq.

According to a Crimson survey of 400 undergraduates conducted yesterday, nearly 56 percent of students are equally divided between “strong” and “somewhat” strong stances of opposition to the war.

And of the 34 percent who endorse military action, most only “somewhat” support the attacks.

These results reflect a student body whose views on the war stand far removed from current national sentiment.

Three-quarters of all Americans approve of the decision to go to war, according to a Gallup poll conducted last night.

Most Harvard students also take a critical position on the leadership of President George W. Bush.

According to The Crimson’s survey, more students disapprove of the Bush administration’s handling of the military action against Iraq than oppose the actual war.

“I strongly oppose the war,” said Eudokia Spanos ’06. “I think it’s a bad idea to go in without U.N. support, and I think it’s an indication of perhaps having other motives.”

Roughly three-fifths of students disagree—most of them “strongly”—with the Bush administration’s handling of military action against Iraq.

“I think it’s amazing how quickly we have squandered our sympathy,” said Lisa P. Carlivati ’03. “I think it’s regrettable the way the world sees us now, and I think that has largely to do with Bush rather than Saddam Hussein.”

Students like Rashmi Singh ’05 were able to identify one particular aspect of Bush’s handling of the war that undermined any mandate the venture might have had.

“I don’t support it because it’s not U.N.-backed,” Singh said. “Had there been multilateral support, I might have reconsidered my position.”

Of the undergraduates who said they did not support or were undecided about the war, slightly more than half said they would have changed their position if the U.N. had been behind the U.S. effort.

But some see little point in protesting an ongoing war.

Carlivati said she moderately supports the war because she believes there’s nothing left to do—Bush has “painted [Americans] into a corner,” she says.