Thursday, October 29, 1998
Cohen explains new security role
SPEECH: Protesters shout questions as secretary of defense
speaks at UCLA
By Lawrence Ferchaw
Daily Bruin Staff
In front of an audience of students, faculty and community
members, Secretary of Defense William Cohen addressed international
relations and national security.
But the warm reception that Cohen received by the audience in
Korn Convocation Hall of the Anderson School at UCLA was
occasionally peppered with chants against the secretary and U.S.
policy toward suspected terrorists.
After an outdoor reception, the audience filed into the
auditorium and was greeted by Richard Rosecrance, director of the
Center for International Relations.
Cohen’s speech was part of the Bernard Brodie Distinguished
Lecture Series. Rosecrance said he was "delighted" to present the
speaker and went on to recall the life of Brodie, who was a
professor at UCLA and scholar in the area of international
relations.
"He’s the kind of person after whom you would want to name a
lecture series," Rosecrance said after the event.
Chancellor Albert Carnesale introduced Cohen, a former senator
and congressman, and remembered testifying before congressional
committees on which Cohen served.
"He was always nice to me," Carnesale said. Carnesale studied
and taught nuclear strategy and engineering and testified as an
expert before congressional committees.
Cohen led off his speech with a series of jokes and recognized
some of the members of the audience, including former Secretary of
State Warren Christopher.
Cohen went on to address past predictions in international
relations that turned out to be inaccurate.
"Not long ago, as Europe emerged from the Cold War, many thought
NATO would be confined to the dustbin of history. Now it’s
experiencing a rebirth," Cohen said.
He also outlined his strategy for international relations and
the use of the military. The three components  shape,
respond, and prepare  are aimed at forming a positive opinion
of the United States abroad, responding quickly and appropriately
to problems, and being prepared for the future with technology.
"We have to be nimble, flexible and muscular," Cohen said.
After quoting a number of historical figures, including Winston
Churchill, Cohen concluded his remarks and began taking questions
from the audience.
Christopher asked the first question about the impact of
increasing the defense department’s budget. Cohen was then
challenged by Syed Rizvi, a student who wanted to know why the the
military acted so quickly after the terrorist attacks on two U.S.
embassies in Africa.
"It took the U.S. three hours to deploy and kill many civilians
in the Sudan. Why has it taken three months to act in Kosovo?"
asked Rizvi, a third-year business economics student.
Cohen responded that it was a good question, but when he began
to explain his answer, a few members of the audience began to shout
out, "Stop the lies. Stop the killing."
Other audience members told the protesters to stop, and
applauded loudly at Cohen’s response to drown out the protests.
After a few more questions, another student challenged Cohen
again.
"I’m very glad people had a chance to express their opinions
against the secretary as well as in favor," Rosecrance said. "It
would have been very bad if all we had there were essentially
military-oriented people."
About 10 protesters were present during the event.
"We wanted to show that an event like that cannot go unopposed,"
said Ahmed Shama, president of the Muslim Students Association.
One audience member didn’t mind the protests.
"I don’t blame them for protesting, but I’m glad it didn’t get
out of hand," said Bridget Packett, a fourth-year political science
student at Pepperdine University.
BAHMAN FARAHDEL/Daily Bruin
Secretary of Defense William Cohn spoke at The Anderson School
and was protested by a few students. protested
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