When former CBS newsman Marvin Kalb agreed to talk at the Open Visions Forum at Fairfield University over a year ago, he planned to write a speech about his views on politics and his life as a journalist.
Little did he know that one year later and just five days after the war in Iraq broke out, he would be speaking to a sold-out audience about his views on this war. The timing was perfect, he said.
Kalb said he understands that there are many people who are concerned about the strategy of this war, but he is fully supportive of President George W. Bush and said that we are involved in the right kind of war.
He lived through moments like Dec. 7, 1941 and Sept. 11, 2001. He called them moments we will never forget, and said this war will be another one of those moments.
“Deep down in my heart, we are all living through one of those large moments in history,” Kalb said.
Kalb said Saddam Hussein is a genuine brilliant madman and he believes that war rests only in Saddam’s hands. With him out of power, the US will eventually get the Middle East situation under control.
“The biggest mistake in the later half of the 20th century is leaving Saddam Hussein in power when we had the opportunity to kick him out,” Kalb said. “Saddam is still convinced he will win this war.”
Kalb has been involved with journalism for over 30 years and held the position as the Chief Diplomatic Correspondent for CBS and NBC News.
Currently he is a Senior Fellow at Shorenstein Center for the Press, Politics and Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University.
He has hosted a number of television series for PBS including “Vox Populi” and “Candidates ’88.”
“Kalb was an excellent speaker,” said Selma Shenetoff, who attended the lecture with her husband. “I am very impressed with him as well as the students who asked such brilliant questions.”
Phyllis Merth, another attendee, said, “He made me have so much more confidence in what our government is doing [in Iraq].”
Kalb is very optimistic about the war and believes that America will prevail in the end. “I pray and truly believe that we are doing the right thing with the right reasons consistent with American values,” Kalb said.
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