NUCCIO DINUZZOThe death toll for the month of October has now hit 102, as of Oct. 31. The death toll has not been this high since October 2005, according to nytimes.com.
“Insurgents in Iraq have been launching almost hourly attacks on Iraqi and United States military targets as well as civilians in a relentless wave of violence,” stated the BBC news website.
Ramadan, the holy month in Muslim religion, takes place during the month of October. Csmontior.com says that the insurgents are using this holy month as a way provoke the most violent month of the war in two years.
John E. Lindros, adjunct business administrator professor, said, “That’s like saying Christmas causes sectarian violence between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.” He means he doesn’t believe that Ramadan is the cause of this violence.
Sr. Mary Louise Sullivan, adjunct history professor, said, “Ramadan is a holy time and perpetrators may just be using it as an excuse for more violence.”
“The Shiites are not suddenly going to set aside differences that have been going on for centuries and start signing ‘Kum-bay-ah’ just because the US thinks they should,” Lindros said.
Dr. Jolyon Girard, history professor, said, “So long as American forces remain in Iraq, they will be subject to violence.”
With the increase of violence, President Bush had announced that there is a possibility that more troops may be Iraq-bound. More than 40 percent of the U.S. Army’s active-duty troops have not served in Afghanistan or Iraq, but one-fifth has done multiple tours.
“My cousin, Dan Fleming, is currently in his third tour of duty over in Iraq,” Erin Rafferty, a freshman undeclared major, said.
“My best friend is leaving in January,” Rafferty said. “My biggest fear is that with both of them being over there at the same time there is a good chance that one of them will come home in a body bag.”
“I do not think that the U.S .should have invaded Iraq in the first place and I pray for peace every day,” Sullivan said.
Rochelle Beaser, adjunct history professor said, “President Bush said that the current policy will continue even if only his wife and his dog, Barney, agree with it. I am not clear what our policy is, but whatever it is, it costs lives and money and world respect. I certainly hope Barney and Laura get upset pretty soon.”
“It will probably continue to worsen before it actually comes to an end,” Kelly Cotton, sophomore exercise science major, said.
With the United States mid-term elections quickly approaching, many believe that this may be a cause as to why these insurgents are increasing the amounts of violence in Iraq.
According to BBC news.com, United States Vice President Dick Cheney has said that insurgents in Iraq have increased their attacks in order to influence the upcoming US mid-term elections.
On the washingtonpost.com, Cheney said in an interview with Fox news that the insurgents believe “they can break the will of the American people,” and “that’s what they’re trying to do.”
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