Unruly Democracy: Clinton Administration's Foreign Policy Officials Clash with Anti-War Protesters in Ohio

The Clinton administration's top foreign-policy officials, including Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Defense Secretary William Cohen, and White House national security adviser Sandy Berger, came to Ohio State University to explain the administration's position on the potential bombing of Iraq. However, their efforts were met with raucous anti-war protests, which forced Albright into silence for several minutes. The clash highlighted the deep divisions within the country over the issue and conveyed many messages to the global viewing audience.

Key Takeaways:

• The anti-war protests were led by a few dozen students from Earlham College, a Quaker institution in Indiana, who were supported by applause from hundreds of others. The protesters forced Secretary of State Madeleine Albright into silence for several minutes, interrupting her remarks with chants of "One-two-three-four, we don't want your racist war."
• The protesters challenged the morality and wisdom of a U.S. bomb strike against Iraq, with one man asking, "What gives America the 'moral right' to bomb Iraq?" Another protester insisted that the U.S. arms other countries that suppress minorities, including Indonesia's "slaughter" in East Timor.
• Secretary of State Madeleine Albright emphasized that the U.S.-led force aims only to uphold U.N. resolutions and to disarm a dangerous threat to the world. However, the protesters maintained that the bombing would be an act of aggression and that there were non-violent ways to solve the crisis.
• A self-identified U.S. Army soldier called in from Germany with support for the administration, saying, "I totally agree with what you need to do. Go ahead and do it. If a soldier's life needs to be lost, let it start with mine." This patriotic testimonial inspired generous applause.
• CNN's Judy Woodruff encapsulated the mood of the event by saying, "It's been noisy, but that's the way it is in America."

Statistics:

• 64 percent of American people agree that the U.S. goal should be to remove Saddam from power, while 31 percent disagree. (CNN survey)
• 5,000-6,000 people attended the town hall meeting at Ohio State University.