As previously announced [see also #2 and #3 below], a new UFPPC speaker series gets underway Friday evening at King's Books in Tacoma (218 St. Helens Ave.) at 7:00 p.m. on Fri., Sept. 21, with a debate between two well informed scholars who have studied the Iraq war:  Dr. Sid Olufs of Pacific Lutheran University and Dr. Steve Niva of The Evergreen State College in Olympia.  --  The debate will feature twenty-minute presentations, ten-minute rebuttals, and an hour of discussion with the audience.  --  The event is free and the public is welcome.  --  See below for more information.[1] ...

1.

[From Steve Nebel of United for Peace of Pierce County]

Hello all:

This Friday we start a monthly speaker series. We hope you can come and participate. This debate is being held as I have heard different opinions on this subject from honorable, informed people. I know that many of you have made up your minds about this subject matter, but I believe that there may be information on either side of the question that I'm (you are?) not aware of. If nothing else, this promises to be some fun. Both of these men are scholars, and well informed.

A debate on whether the United States should leave Iraq immediately, or if it is the responsibility of the United States to remain in Iraq indefinitely, will be held at King's Books, 218 St. Helens Ave. in Tacoma at 7pm on Friday; Sept. 21. The participants in the debate are Dr. D.W. Sid Olufs, professor of political science at Pacific Lutheran University, who will argue that the United States bears a responsibility which requires them to stay until adequate stability is achieved in Iraq. Dr.Steve Niva, who teaches international politics and Middle East studies at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, will argue that the U.S. should leave Iraq as soon as possible.

Dr. Sid Olufs is professor of political science at Pacific Lutheran University. He is the author or co-author of five books and won the K.T. Tang Faculty Excellence Award in Research in 2007. Professor Olufs teaches Political Science 401: Politics of the War in Iraq at PLU.

Dr. Steve Niva teaches International Politics and Middle East Studies at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. He has written about U.S. foreign policy and the Middle East for Middle East Report magazine (www.merip.org), and his recent writings have also appeared in Peace Review, Middle East International, Al-Ahram Weekly, the Seattle Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Common Dreams, and Counterpunch, among others.

The format of this event will be twenty minutes and ten minutes for rebuttal for each speaker, with a one-hour discussion with the audience afterwards. This event is the first in a 2007 speaker series sponsored by United for Peace of Pierce County. This event is free and the public is welcome. For more information, contact 253-573-1504 or 253-535-7219 or visit www.ufppc.org.

Steve Nebel -- stephennebel@msn.com (253)573-1504
Mark Jensen -- jensenmk82@gmail.com (253)535-7219

2.

[UFPJ website]

http://unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?calid=22189

3.

[Iraq Moratorium web site]

http://www.iraqmoratorium.org/