Should We Go to Lebanon or Not ?

Students were taken into custody by the police after being seriously beaten by side watchers.

Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah approved the lynching saying "There is growing reaction to such people and unfortunately there are university students. Citizens gave the necessary response to them. It was a nice response..."

No action was taken against the lynchers. It's reported that four students were taken as "terrorists" while just trying to open a flyer saying "We won't be Israel's soldiers".

Opposition to government

As the government is preparing to pass a ruling to send troops for the UN peace-keeping force in Lebanon the discussion continues in the public.

Opposition parties' leaders as well as the President Ahmet Necdet Sezer openly objected to a possibly military contribution to the peace-keeping force.

Youngsters confused

We went on to the street and talked to young people of different backgrounds about their views on the issue.

19 year-old Ramazan Sarıçiçek, who is bound to join the army on December said "I'll go to Lebanon if I have to. All is for the motherland".

On the other hand, film director Orçun Benli (26) remarks that under no circumstances he would go to Lebanon on such a mission.

The justificatives of the pro troop senders are that it would be good for the Turkish foreign policy, Turkey would have a say in Irak by such an action and we should help our "fellow musulmans" by proctecting them from Israel.

"We need to be proactive in the region and we can do this by military contribution" says university student Ayse Kocturk (23).

As military vehicles, tanks and rocket launchers marched through the main streets of cities to celebrate the victory in 1922 which led to independence, Arzu Balanlı sums it all:

"We're a society centered around the military. So we look there for the solution".(KÖ/EÜ)