GPSA to send demand to withdraw U.S. troops

by Bryan Gibel

Daily Lobo

GPSA passed a resolution Saturday demanding the immediate withdrawal of American troops

from Iraq.

The resolution will be sent to President Bush, all members of the New Mexico congressional delegation and the Board of Regents.

It passed by a vote of 17-3 with two abstentions.

The resolution is meant to work with similar proposals in state and city government, said student Max Fitzpatrick, who introduced the resolution.

"It's a moral statement on the part of the graduate student body," he said. "It may help tip the balance for some of our congress members that are unsure of what their policy is on the war."

GPSA Reps. Benjamin Mabe, Dennis Lester and Gene Henley voted against the resolution.

Mabe, an armed forces veteran, said GPSA shouldn't support the resolution because graduate students have diverse opinions on the war.

"I don't think it's appropriate for the 21 of us to speak to the political opinions of 6,000 graduate students at UNM," he said. "The purpose of this body is to represent graduate students, not make politically-charged statements that claim to speak for the whole graduate community."

The resolution states that the occupation of Iraq has drained $1.4 billion of New Mexico's federal tax dollars that could have been used for education, health care, transportation and housing needs.

"Rather than endangering themselves in the armed occupation of another sovereign nation, U.S. servicemen and women deserve the same higher education opportunities as enjoyed by members of GPSA," the resolution states.

Henley said the resolution is similar to student efforts to withdraw troops from Vietnam, but the situation in Iraq is not the same.

"I remember going through the same discussion in the early '70s," he said. "But I think the reasons we are there are different than the reasons we are in Vietnam. I support the war."

City Councilor Isaac Benton said there are too many New Mexican service members in Iraq.

"Over half of our National Guard in New Mexico is now serving in Iraq," said Benton, who attended the meeting. "In the event of a natural disaster here, we won't have access to that resource, because many of the people and the vehicles simply aren't here."

Benton introduced a similar resolution to City Council that will be voted on Sept. 17.

Student Iván L¢pez said it is inappropriate for student government to issue judgment on foreign policy.

"I came here to get an education," he said. "I don't think the war in Iraq is within our reach as a body of higher education."

Student Isaac Padilla said student government should take action because the war affects many graduate students.

"My sister is currently serving," he said. "If my sister is deployed again to Iraq, I have to move to Florida to help take care of her family. I am a graduate student, so it directly affects me."

Some soldiers had to give up their studies to fight in the war, he said.

"If this doesn't affect grad students, I don't know what does," he said. "My sister was a graduate student, but when the war started happening, she had to leave. She had to quit grad school because she is currently active duty in the military."