Pop quiz: What’s the best way to slow the sectarian violence in Iraq? If your answer is “”Give ’em more targets to shoot at,”” you deserve a spot on President Bush’s foreign policy team. On Wednesday evening, the president announced that he would be sending a “”surge”” of some 17,000 troops to Iraq to quell the escalating violence there. Reactions from insurgents have been muted (they’re probably just reloading), but this plan seems shortsighted at best and disastrous at worst. For sending more young Americans to fight a losing battle, Bush’s “”surge”” gets a Fail.
Let’s face it: Gov. Janet Napolitano had our vote ever since she praised Salim Stoudamire’s buzzer-beating shot against Arizona State University two years ago. But now she’s really winning students’ hearts with a new plan to increase state contributions to the Arizona Financial Aid Trust. Given the mindset of the conservative state Legislature – which has historically withheld funds from the state universities – the increase might not end up being that big, but cash-strapped students could use every penny the stingy legislators are willing to throw at us. For fighting the good (financial aid) fight, Napolitano and her AFAT plan get a Pass.
If you felt like the school year had an unusually early start this year, you’re right. Neither ASU nor Northern Arizona University start classes until Tuesday, after Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Why the UA insists on dragging students back for a three-day week is anyone’s guess, but it’s probably safe to say that the value of our degrees wouldn’t be cheapened by extending the winter break past the King holiday. For hacking away at our winter break with no discernible benefit in sight, the UA’s early start gets a Fail.
Members of the community, you can stop your whining. And no, you’re not taking the student section away from us. Even though we might have been a little, um, absent toward the tail-end of 2006, we were back in full swing for our win against the Beavers last night. And despite the bad rep, we stepped up to the challenge of filling our oh-so-desirable student section. Decked out in our Zona Zoo gear with our rowdy cheers, we’re one step closer to making up for our previously less-than-stellar attendance record. For getting our act together when it matters the most, our student section gets an overwhelming Pass.
Opinions Board
Opinions are determined by the Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Nina Conrad, Lori Foley, Ryan Johnson, Ari Lerner, Nicole Santa Cruz and Matt Stone.
