By Lauren Mugavin
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The war in Iraq has continued to rage on for five years now. It originally began in March of 2003, when British and American forces invaded Iraq. The tragic and momentous attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon on September 11, 2001 was not the only thing that started the war. Supporters of the invasion claimed that Iraq likely had weapons of mass destruction that posed a threat to Americans. Saddam Hussein was accused of violating human rights. Iraq was involved with terrorist organizations, such as the group that attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon building.

More troops have been sent to Iraq since the war began, and according to MSNBC, there are currently 46,000 troops stationed in Iraq

“I think that what we are doing in Iraq is ineffective,” senior Margaret Isham said. Isham has been registered to vote and is channeling her support towards presidential candidate Barack Obama, who she plans to vote for in November. She said she thinks he is the best candidate, partly because he plans to pull the troops out of Iraq. “We are in the war wasting lives and billion of dollars a week. We need to pull out now.”

Social studies teacher Katherine “Katie” Gray understood at first why the government entered the war, but her view has been altered over the years and she no longer holds the same viewpoint. “The U.S. government had great plans for beginning and conducting the war at first,” she said. “But they were largely unprepared to support the Iraq[i] people at the conclusion of active fighting.”

Isham’s view on the war comes from her knowledge of the political side of the subject. She is currently taking a government class. In her class, she and her peers discuss current events that have to do with politics. She said that they discuss where each candidate stands and issues they plan to deal with. In addition, Isham keeps herself updated by watching the news closely and watching informative episodes of television program “60 Minutes” to maintain her political knowledge.

Sophomore Kayla Perry agrees that the soldiers being pulled out of Iraq is even more important now. “I don’t think we had any business there in the first place,” Perry said. “I know we had a tiny surge of victory in the very beginning of the war, but now we need to pull out.”

“Reasons for fighting and conduct of the war have been largely flawed,” Gray said. “At this point the U.S. needs a workable strategy to get out of the war, not at the expense of the lives of American soldiers or Americans at home.”