By Margaret Hawryluk
Faculty and students went on a walking tour of Iraq without ever leaving the 10th floor of the Axinn Library.
The discussion, “Voices from Iraq,” that took place on the “Day of Dialogue,” consisted of an American journalist and soldier who used slideshows of their personal photographs to relay stories about their experiences in Iraq.
Lt. Col. James Nicholas, a former member of the First Infantry in Iraq and a professor of Military Sciences, depicted the hostile conditions the soldiers faced by showcasing photos of his barracks, the areas near Abu Ghraib and the different areas he worked in Iraq.
However, Nicholas also added there were positive aspects of the American occupation. He discussed the roads and bridges soldiers built in order to join Sunni tribes, the much-needed school supplies they provided to Iraqi children and the cleaning of sewage from water supplies.
Displaying a photo of two Iraqi men submerged in raw sewage while repairing a sewage pump, Nickolas explained the men were smiling because they were thrilled to be given the opportunity to improve their lives.
Lorna Tychostup, a freelance journalist and photographer, was interested in exploring the effect the war had on the lives of Iraqi civilians. She showed photos exposing the insides of homes, children playing among the rubble of shattered buildings and other provocative views of the war-torn country.
The American journalist portrayed Iraq in a positive light, showing communities being rebuilt and the values the citizenry holds in religion.
“My commanding officer told us that if the Iraqi children are no longer smiling than something is wrong,” Nickolas said. “And when we left they were still smiling as we passed by.”
Tychostup, however, did not allow these positives to overshadow the persistent problems that are still taking place.
“This is the face of a terrorist,” Tychostup said, as she flashed a picture of an irate woman on the projection screen. She further explained that although many are willing to move to new settlements, there are still insurgents who would rather “blow themselves up” than conform to the new regime.
The discussion concluded with questions from the audience, ranging from reasons why America invaded Iraq to the different fighting tactics that a “war of terror” involves.
Tychostup closed the discussion by encouraging the audience to do more to support the troops in Iraq than “just sticking a ribbon to the back of your car,” she said. “The soldiers want e-mails, a box of cookies; they want to know what’s going on back home.”