Capture of Saddam hits the home front

Thursday, December 18, 2003

In what some are calling an early Christmas present for the American people the capture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein is going to effect the war in Iraq and the current political situation -- the question is how much? And what does it mean to the people of Vernon County?

Chet Tweten, commander of the Nevada Veterans of Foreign Wars, said, "It's going to make a big change one way or another, hopefully it will be for the best." What Tweten sees as the crowning achievement of the Hussein capture is the fact that he was captured alive -- otherwise there might be some who would have seen him as a martyr. Hopefully he will be tried and found guilty by Arabs, said Tweten, so there will less of an attitude for vengeance against the United States.

Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman, whose department has three deputies serving in Iraq, was pleased with the capture of the former Iraqi leader. He hopes that this may signify a reduction in hostilities and a return home of the troops. What stood out in Peckman's mind was the way Hussein surrendered. He thought that it was ironic for a man who expected his own people to give their life for the cause Hussein gave up without so much as a whimper. "He wants his people to die but he doesn't want to. It just shows what a coward he is," said Peckman.

Caroline Dohack, a student at Cottey College, said that, in the long run, the capture of Hussein will do little to effect the war in Iraq. "It's good they caught him but it's more symbolic than tangible," said Dohack. She said that the even after Husseins capture Osama bin Ladin and Al Quida will continue to use Iraq was a staging area for further conflicts with the U.S. Dohack sees the real danger in the capture of Hussein as being domestic. People who have not been following war coverage closely will see this one action and think we have done more than we have, she said.

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