Bakersfield College student Jenny Ramon has had some disturbing dreams lately about the turmoil between the United States and Iraq.

“I was watching the news the other day and I had a dream that they were bombing,” said Ramon, a liberal studies major.

“Yeah, I’m not worried,” she added, sarcastically.

However, other BC students say it will never reach the point of war.

“I don’t believe it is going to be a war. I don’t think so,” said Annie Thomas, a nursing major.

“I’m sure there is the possibility out there but something has to be done,” said Ryan Robinson, undecided.

What that something is has been a debate for world leaders.

Iraq, under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, has been a thorn in the side of the United States ever since the Gulf War. It is a wound that has only gotten deeper with debate over the disarming of a possible nuclear arsenal stockpiled by Saddam. The Bush administration has made it clear that U.N. inspections have been delayed and could be ineffective. The United Nations has made it clear that inspections should be rejected wholeheartedly by Saddam before any war action is considered.

“I think there are two directions,” said Jack Brigham, a BC history professor. “We are either doing something unilaterally ourselves plus England, plus other countries, or we are going to go through the United Nations.”

Brigham also added the need for the United States to disarm Saddam through the world’s collective eyes instead of direct individual action to prevent a heavy anti-American sentiment.

“I wish we had a president like a (Nelson) Mandela, who can step forward and say it is time to take the whole world to a new level,” he said. “We realize the problems in the past and this and that but we as a world family need to establish laws and live by them.”

Yet the chance of such an action by the United States is not backed up historically, Brigham said.

“The U.S. is not willing to live by international treaties. We are not willing to follow international law,” said Brigham. “If we were to suddenly follow international law it would be a change in behavior.”

BC political science professor Charlie Fivecoat said the United States wants Iraq to disarm but also has begun a series of discussions on the topic.

“I think the Bush administration is adamant about Iraq disassembling but they are using as many diplomatic means at their disposal before any time of military conflict,” said Fivecoat.

He said that the White House has adapted its stance in accordance to the sensitivity of the issue.

“This is going to be a delicate balance the U.S. will have to walk,” said Fivecoat. “At this point and time I don’t think the rest of the world has accepted the immediacy of this threat.”

Both professors predict that ultimately the United States may go to war.

“I suspect (Bush) is going to do something outside the scope of the U.N. Regardless, I do expect the U.S. to use its military to do something in Iraq. I assume it would happen between January and March,” said Brigham.

Fivecoat noted that even with the debate, Saddam may not change his stance.

“(Saddam) hasn’t complied at this point and I think it is unlikely he will comply now,” he said.

Ramon said she believed that the United States should not enter into a war alone.

“I think (the U.S.) should just go with the U.N. and have them all decide on it. Not one country think that they are the boss of everybody,” said Ramon.