Colonel who knows war to speak tonight

Deepa Bharath

Col. David Hackworth knows war. He’s been in three of them.

And Hackworth believes a war with Iraq could result in a “long

occupation of the country that could put our forces in jeopardy.”

One of the country’s most decorated soldiers -- he has been

awarded eight Purple Hearts and more than 70 medals of valor for his

services in World War II, Vietnam and Korea -- Hackworth will speak

his mind to an audience at the Newport Beach Public Library and

students at Newport Harbor High School.

The program at the main library tonight is open to the community.

The session in Newport Harbor High will be open only to students and

teachers.

Hackworth, who lives in Connecticut, has been vocal about his

opinions on war and military issues since the days of the Vietnam

War. In 1971, as the Army’s youngest colonel, he spoke out on

national television saying, “This is a bad war ... it can’t be won we

need to get out.”

He now says whether a war should be waged depends on whether a

situation warrants one.

“I would advocate war if you were taking out someone like Hitler,”

Hackworth said Tuesday. “[World War II] was a very moral war. But

with Iraq, there are no moral grounds.”

The country must take lessons from Vietnam, he said.

“We paid a terrible, terrible price in Vietnam,” Hackworth said.

“We need to ask ourselves, ‘What’s the threat here?’ And as much as I

search here, I don’t see a threat to the nation’s security.”

Hackworth’s 52 years of military experience will give the local

community an insight into the present situation with Iraq, said

Jacquelyn Beauregard Dillman, board member of the Newport Beach

Library Foundation, which is hosting the event.

“We just thought that he would have interesting input in terms of

everything that is going on in this world,” she said. “His main

concern is that our troops and our military are put to good use.”