I was very excited to attend the AFRICOM panel in hopes to hear some comprehensive coverage and discussion. This never happened.
First and foremost, there was significant talk of the U.S. military. However, I did not see anyone with any background in the military. There was a bunch of talk about the global war on terrorism, yet how many people present have studied Islam, Arabic or terrorism?
I have been studying Islam and the Arabic language for close to two years. I spent a year on the ground in the Middle East dealing with Islamic radicals, doing my part in the global war on terror and tracking war criminals.
In the end, what was advertised as an academic forum was a liberal tirade. Next time someone on this campus wants to have a panel about something, have a diversified panel. If anything, it will help your opinions spread outside of just preaching to your own believers.
Brandon Krapf Sophomore, School of International Service
