Anti-war activist Daniel Ellsberg spoke on campus Friday night in the University Union Ballroom.

Ellsberg, who is best known for leaking the Pentagon Papers to the press, has recently written a book titled “Secrets,” which describes the release of the Papers and their relation to the Vietnam War.

“We may be on the verge of using tactical nuclear weapons for the first time since World War II,” Ellsberg said during his speech.

A veteran of the Vietnam War, Ellsberg was a former U.S. marine serving as a platoon leader, company commander and platoon-training officer. He spoke in detail of his experiences in Vietnam in relation to today?s current crisis. In a war, bombing would not solve anything, it would only kill innocent people, he said.

Ellsberg said that controlling access to Iraqi oil, which is second largest oil reserve in the world, would allow power and leverage over other countries who depend on that oil. However, many large oil companies may not be so willing to invest millions of dollars in an area where there is instability, he said.The founding fathers never intended for one man to have the power of going to war, Ellsberg said. He said we are “in a constitutional crisis” and need to take part in what is today a worldwide anti-war movement.

“Powell is lying through his teeth when he says Hussein is the only source of nuclear weapons for al-Qaeda,” Ellsberg said.

Although none of the Sept. 11 hijackers were Iraqi, there is concern that this war will change that, he said. Ellsberg said that not only is hatred toward America strong throughout the world, but homeland security is decreasing as billions of dollars are invested in the war. Possible terrorist attacks would incite the American people to push for a stronger, more dangerous leader, as was the case with Israel, he said.

“There is a possibility that Iraqi civilians will fight side-by-side with their military to keep out foreign invaders,” Ellsberg said. He also said “the worst is yet to come” in reference to the possible use of nuclear weapons.

Ellsberg expressed feelings of hope that the war in Iraq will not dampen the enthusiasm of anti-war protesters. He also agreed that the American people are being put in danger because of what President Bush is doing. He stressed the importance of putting pressure on the media to print and broadcast what he said was the truth and “background” about the war in Iraq.

Although troops in the Middle East may see themselves as liberators, they are not being “welcomed with roses,” Ellsberg said. During Vietnam, U.S. troops looked upon themselves in the same fashion. He said that at the time, he felt it was unwise to question his commanders. He feels that troops in the Middle East are not asking questions either.

“We saw ourselves (Marines) as the presidential guards,” Ellsberg said.During the Vietnam War, American troops were not told the truth as to why they were there, and he said that the troops in the Middle East are facing a similar problem.

“Americans do not like to see themselves as foreigners,” Ellsberg said.Ellsberg commented on the “uproar” of the American public over certain tactics Iraqi troops are using against allied forces – primarily, the disguising of troops as Iraqi civilians to gain an advantage. He spoke of being shot at in Vietnam by what appeared to be farmers. Also, during the American Revolution, rebels attacked the British forces in civilian clothing.

Even though the CIA testified to Congress that there is no solid evidence linking Hussein to Sept. 11, 40 percent of Americans believe that Hussein is connected to al-Qaeda, according to Ellsberg.

Ellsberg admitted that North Korea is a great threat to the United States because they are able to sell nuclear weapons to potential terrorists.

“There is no military solution to dealing with North Korea,” Ellsberg said. “You and I do not have a commander in chief, but we do have a President, whether we voted for him or not.”

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