Abigail Tobis ‘20, Editor-in-Chief
On Jan. 3, President Trump struck a drone on Iran, killing one of their top generals, Qassem Soleimani. He was the head of Iran’s military force and was considered one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic Republic. This was a huge loss for Iran and has now raised tensions to a new extreme between the United States and the Middle East.
Filled with anger and sadness, thousands have gathered to mourn the life of the general, one of them being the daughter of Soleimani who warns the US of a ‘dark day.’ Many Iranians agree with her, as the crowds have begun to demand that Iran retaliates in some way. On Jan. 7, Iran fired missiles at a military base in Iraq that was used by U.S forces. This supposedly was their retaliation of the U.S killing Soleimani. According to CBS News, “Foreign Minister Javad Zarif says Iran does ‘not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.’”
Iran now has announced that they are withdrawing for the 2015 nuclear deal which is something that the U.S. already has completed in 2018. This may pose big problems for the U.S., but Trump has showed no fear by tweeting, “The United States just spend Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment. We are the biggest and the BEST in the World! If Iran attacks an American Base or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way… and without hesitation.”
On Jan 8., he then addressed the ongoing conflict and said, ¨Our great American forces are prepared for anything. Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.¨
Many have started to worry that there might be a war in our near future. Some are even predicting that this will be WWIII. College students had concerns specifically with The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the particular question regarding being drafted into the war. It says, “If female, skip to question 23. Most male students must register with the Selective Service System to receive federal aid. If you are a male, age 18-25 and not registered, fill in the circle and we will register you.” People think that if you sign up for your FAFSA means that you signing to be drafted into the war. According to CBS news, “The Selective Service System said on Twitter, however, that there’s no reason for panic. They assured Twitter users that there is no active draft at this time and that the department is conducting business as usual. The government said it ‘would need to pass official legislation to authorize a draft.’” Senior Kyle Scovera is not one of those who worry. “I don’t think we will go to war because Iran gave Iraq a warning, which gave America a warning and there were no American casualties, and I don’t believe Trump will retaliate further,” he said.
It is unsure if the U.S. will be going to war or not but the most important thing to do is to stay safe and hope for the best.
Photo courtesy of bbc.com
Lyon Life 