CûMMENTÆîy
4 • T he C lackamas P rint
■
Iraqi abuse shocks America
New photos disgrace nation, military
ing, however, is the occasional included presence of smil
ing faces and thumbs-up from gleeful soldiers, apparent
ly taking pride in their accomplishments.
Several Americans now face court martial in response
to these allegations. According to www.worldrevolu-
tion.org, the charges include assault, cruelty and mal
' The abuse of detained Iraqi prisoners by their treatment, dereliction of duty and indecent acts with
American captors is nothing short of atrocious. These another person. Some even face being relieved of their
soldiers were put in a position of trust, and that trust was commands.
horribly betrayed. To shrug one’s shoulders and say that
The repercussions of these soldiers’ actions go far
“these things happen in war” is not only irresponsible, it beyond the chain of command, however. To the sol
is an insult to other members of the armed forces who diers on the street in Iraq, the ones who are actually try
show moral courage under these circumstances.
ing to help the Iraqi people in the midst of this tempest,
The photos broadcast by “60 Minutes II” last month these images mean increased resistance from extremists
showed Iraqi prisoners being physically and sexually as they are used for propaganda.
abused. The images described by CBS are both horrify
To other soldiers providing care to Iraqi prisoners,
ing and inexplicable, no matter what excuse comes forth giving them much-needed food and medical- attention,
as the investigation continues. In one instance, a man these images mean heightened hostility from the pris
stands upon a box with his head in a bag and his hands oners, unnecessarily putting their lives at more risk.
connected to wires as he is threatened with electrocution.
To the intelligence community, which is trying to get
A different picture shows naked prisoners piled into a information from these prisoners, these images mean
pyramid with slurs written across their bodies. In anoth shattered trust and obliterated lines of communication.
er, prisoners are bound to the ground and left to bake in
To the U.S. military, -these images mean not only
the Iraqi sun. One more shows nude prisoners with bags shame and dishonor, but also a throwback to the idea
over their heads posing aS if performing fellatio. The of a soldier aS inhuman.
images are as obscene as they are disturbing.
“We’re appalled,” said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt of
What makes these photographs even more horrify the allegations. “These are our fellow soldiers, these are
the people we work with every day,
they represent us, and they let their
fellow soldiers down. If we can’t hold
ourselves up ,as an example of how
to treat people with dignity and
respect, we can’t ask that other
nations do [the same] to our sol
diers.”
To America, the political ramifica
tions are significant.
“They have not just lost the hearts
and minds of Iraqis,” said Abdel-Bari
Atwan, editor of the Arab newspaper
Al Quds Al Arabi, “but all the third
world and the Arab countries.”
It would be incorrect to attribute
too much negativity to the publishing
of the photographs, however. Some
hope to sponsor censorship by saying
that making the photographs public
did more harm than good. This
downplays the individual responsibil
ity of the soldiers themselves. The
investigations into prisoner abuse
had been ongoing since last year.
- The pictures were merely the proof,
Photos of Iraqi prisoners being abused by U.S. soldiers were and ignoring them would have been
published this month, sparking national controversy. far more dangerous.
Hilliary Ferguson
&
James Tombe
^|^^J^T he C lackamas _P rint
Biodiesel offers clean alternative fuel
Soon people all over America
will be able to purge their oil-
soaked consciences of Haliburton
and Chevron, in favrir of some
thing a little less ...:prehistpric.
Rather than funning diesel engines
on dead dinosaurs, we will be able
to fuel up at the local
McDonald’s—on cooking oil.
If the future is now, then
“biodiesel” technology is the way of
the future. The process is relatively
simple: oils, fats and greases react
with alcohol to create a biodegrad
able, dean-burning compound with
a high cetane number that is known
as biodiesd. It can run any diesel
engine without much modification
According to the Department of chemicals as .carbon monoxide,
hydrocarbons,
Energy (DE), biodiesel has a high sd^pne-forriiing
cetane number (as high as 64). The hazardous diesel particulate, acid
cetane number is the performance rain-causing 'sulfur dioxide and
rating of diesel fiiel, referring to the lifecycle carbon dioxide.
Because of this, it also allows
amount of cetane in the fuel.
Translation: the higher the number regulated fleets who run on
the better, and biodiesel is an effi biodiesel to be awarded Energy
cient fuel source In addition, it Policy Act (EPAct) credits just for
works to dissolve and remove sédi running on the fuel! Could this be
ment built up fuel tanks, making if a why everyone froth school districts
to the U.S. military has been fueling
self-cleaning fuel.
Most commonly, it is mixed with up with this alternative source?
regular diesel to form “B20,” a Even the rich and famous are join
compound which is 20 percent ing the crowd.' On his latest tour in
biodiesd, although it can be used support of his album “Greendale,”
straight in the form of B100. One rocker Neil Young converted his
of tbe downsides, however, to using eight diesel semis to run on it.
What could be better for the
pure B100, is that it can'cause rub
ber to fail in vehicles manufactured economy? Unlike fossil fuels, which
before 1994 because of its solvent are imported from places like Saudi
qualities (engine conversion kits are Arabia or Iraq, or drilled from the
wilderness, biodiesel can be made
available on the Internet).
The DE found that biodiesel with a variety of organic oils, one of
has many benefits over other fuel the most popular and efficient
supplies. It’s easy to use and can be being soybean oil. Farmers right
phased in and out. Little to no here in the U.S. would be paid to
engine modification is required produce these crops that would
and can be switched with normal now be in even higher demand, let
diesel from time to time as easily ting everybody win (except maybe
as‘someone switches from premi the big oil companies, unless they
um to regular. It is efficient due to learn to adjust quickly).
Most importandy, biodiesel is
its high cetane number and much
safer due to its high flash point here, now. Unlike other alternative
(148 degrees Celsius, compared to fuel sources, there is no need to wait
53 for normal diesel). Also, due to for the proper research. Biodiesel is
its lubrication superiority, it helps being used every day and is openly
encouraged in some places.
prolong engine life.
So' what excuse is left? Even if
In addition, it is obviously
cleaner and renewable, the only biodiesel is not the answer to all
alternative diesel fuel that reduces fuel-related problems, it will pro
greenhouse gases in the atmos vide a perfect springboard into
phere. So using it will not only not alternative fuel sources and finally
produce leSs smog, but according liberating ourselves from the
to Pacific Biodiesel, biodiesel will dinosaur-droppings we shove down
combat it by counteracting such our fuel tanks every day.
The Print endorses Murphy /I
student government preside!
For the current ASG presidential elections, The Print is cl
ing to endorse candidate Rian Murphy and would advise I
Clackamas students to do the same. The . reasons for en<
him are numerous but most are centralized around Murphy
rience with the CCC student government.
During his first year at CCC, Murphy served in the positi
Legislative Senator for the student government, proving his
to be involved in his college. This year, he served as Ca
Activities Officer, a quite different role from that which he s
the previous year.
Now Murphy is seeking election for President of ASG in
to “represent my friends and the students of Clad
Community College” in addition to “[being] involved wit!
representation and betterment of CCC, as well as Comm
Colleges across the nation.”-
The Print believes that because of this, Murphy leads the
petition in experience and drive, as well as a connection wii
student body that would enable him to best fill the role of
President.
ASG election voting will be held today and tomorrgl
CC140. We encourage all students to come out and vote fori
candidate of choice.
Student takes offense to editors comma
tary reguarding Bush’s "fetus defense’
(Regarding the op-ed in tbe
April21, 2004 schoolpaper Ipi Ben
Mams.)
The editorial was tided
“Fetus defense attacks choice»”
In it, Maras attempts to per
suade the campus audience
that ilic Bush administration is
taking away the , “right - to
chose.” Maras starts outby’say-r
ing he will not mention ihc
war, then he does mention the
war. not realizing that , those
who have served like myself
and those who; are serving
“Volunteered.” That’s right
folks they and I made a choice,
fully understanding that' we
may be called .on to fight and
die 'wL I f
Then Mr. Maras gives us a
hypothetical situation of a
scared teenage girl going to an
abortion clinic, saying she can
gets an abortion and is now
able to go on with “her life.”
How nSW < hii .tow live
without a care in the world. (I
course, we won’t mention t
psychological trauma tl
young woman has-' to live w
(forever)/'.
Now keeping on top
regarding the “unborn victii
of violence act.” Let’s take t
young teenage woman,Mei's!
she wants to keep the baby
as she walks down the stn
she is mugged and the attacl
shoots her in the belly. Rush
to the hospital, the mother si
ylves.bfjt her unborn baby di
Under' the old laws, the oi
crimes committed were assa
and robbery. Now under t
“unborn victims of violcn
.c 1” tin muggcr Would bc f;
ing murder charges. W]
Because this woman had ded
ed to exercise ‘her right
choose, and she chose life. I
Daniel Hunter,
CCC Student,
Backpack dragger strikes back at
Once .again, tbe proof o m
the pudding that- the. pefois'
mightier than the sword. lead?
fy|t speak" for the others,
iSfy please accept this -as one
man’s opinion. 1 feel- • bad'
chough being forced to pull
around one of those “gidie”
type headache makers without
the nd of an honest, unbiased
staff writer now bringing
more attention t< > me than i h. >•.
||||gy wheels do.
Believe me, I will contfouCfo?'
do mv best to follow the
smooth narrow paths that fin
ished concrete al I <irds. But then
again,- you probably do not
uto' tthai 1 m i sp< i king
of since you obviously have two
good legs..Getting a locket
might help me to illeviate the
irksome noise ol my wheeled I
crutch, but that would mean not
being able to - take 'the, much-
appreciated shortcuts to'save on
the pain that I experience- from
“having” to go to school. If I
were riot at school and I was -not
allowed to park in the Crip
*
I
Print
Zone, I guess that would all«
me to return to-' -my Unit
Journeyman position so that
could pay .ever-increasing taa
to afford you more poison il
your pen
’
I
1 will feye you with tt
thought: “When your beard gJ
as long as mingjmd you ha
walked'^-kna^y miles as I, w
will, learn fo appreciate the dl
ference between ignorance aa
stupidity.' 1 can only assuti
dut, with v hat education I hJ
attempted to impart) th
you will be no longer be ign
rant, without thought of mil
¡and-ofoers’ plight. Withedd
tion, you arc no longer ignord
and being stupid is a chok
Once you' are educated, ¡q
choqse to forsake that educ
riofi, then you know what hal
pens.”
Thank you for your time a]
consideration of all who f
-under the wings of the A.Dd
Ken Wells-
'
CCC Student
■ri
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