We have been hearing a lot lately about the war in Iraq.

We have been hearing from people who want to end the war and from people who think the war is a good idea.

But perhaps our discussion should focus on a more basic question of why we have these sort of wars in the first place.

Shouldn’t people at a university at least actively research and debate the extent to which religion plays a role in such conflicts?

This seems especially the case since President Bush speaks of how Osama bin Laden has “hijacked” Islam. Others think Christianity has a long record of violence against Muslim peoples.

Shouldn’t we ask ourselves how or why religion itself often leads to conflict?

Eric Lindstrom

Freshman

Civil Engineer