Support of U.S.-led airstrikes in Afghanistan is evident among college students across the country.
Last month, Harvard University’s Institute of Politics conducted a telephone survey of 1,200 undergraduate students nationwide and discovered nearly four of five students were advocates of the airstrikes. More than two-thirds of those surveyed support using U.S. ground troops in Afghanistan.
Gordon Li, director of outreach and communication for Harvard’s Institute of Politics, said this was the second survey of students’ attitudes toward the government and the institute hopes to provide a measure of such information every year.
“I think the support among students is slightly less than the general population,” Li said. “Maybe 10 percent, because college students, as a whole, are slightly more liberal. But I’m not surprised that such a strong group of students support the U.S.- led efforts.”
The Campus Attitudes towards Politics and Public Service Survey, showed 71 percent of male students contacted said they would serve in the military if the draft was reinstated. In addition, 71 percent of all students surveyed said they had donated blood, money or time to relief efforts.
Telecommunication junior Mike Ziethlow said he is in full support of doing whatever it takes to defeat the Taliban and completely backs the draft.
“I think we’re doing the right thing,” he said. “I think we should basically level the countryside.”
Percy Pierre, an MSU expert on defense and military, agreed college students and the public in general seem to be in support of the military response.
“I think the Sept. 11 attack was clearly an attack on the people of the U.S.,” said Pierre, a professor of electrical engineering and engineering research. “I think the people felt threatened - felt the need to do something about it.”
But Amy Pierce, a zoology junior, said she thinks the United States has gone a little too far in its retaliation against the Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
“I agree there is some action that should be taken,” she said. “But I don’t agree with the extent of what they’ve been doing.”
And education sophomore Elizabeth Smerczak-Zorza said she doesn’t approve of nuclear or biological warfare and doesn’t think reinstating the draft is necessary but feels the nation needs to keep retaliating against the Taliban.
“The Taliban needs to be stopped,” she said. “I think what we’re doing is right, we gave them forewarning.”
Sgt. 1st Class Andy Williams, an MSU military instructor, said it may be hard for students to make a complete judgment on the military’s actions because they might not understand how the military operates.
William Vautaw, a mathematics graduate student, admits he doesn’t know what the United States’ options are when it comes to what it uses against the Taliban, but thinks the military should be doing more.
“It doesn’t seem to be very effective right now,” he said. “We need stronger force.”
Psychology senior Marc Vangrinsven said he is also not very informed about the action the United States is taking, but he does not oppose it.
“Since I don’t know the Taliban personally, I guess all I can do is take the government’s word on it,” he said.
