What some expected to be a two-sided panel discussion after the State of the Union Address turned into a one-sided liberal discussion Tuesday.

More than 120 students, faculty and staff members gathered in the St. Charles room to listen to President Bush’s State of the Union address and afterward to hear reaction from a panel of five faculty members.

At the panel discussion, most of the five faculty members spoke against President Bush and the Republicans, raising their voices against the possible war with Iraq.

Amanda Bowen, communications/public relations junior, said she felt the panel discussion was unfair because of the lack of faculty members supporting war.

“Some of the fliers did not say it was an anti-war assembly. It was a misrepresentation,” she said.

Conrad Rabbe, a political science professor, focused on whether President Bush could be dissuaded from going to war and if the president could provide a valid and well-documented case that can be presented to the people.

Ed McCaughan, chairman of the sociology department, claimed that the United States is a declining world power that cannot act unilaterally to reassert its power. However, he said that war with Iraq is a way to do that.

Sarah Gualtieri, assistant professor of history, defined Iraq as a mixed population of 24 million. She said that until 1990 Iraq was one of the most modernized countries in the Middle East.

“Iraq was like the Germany of the Middle East, if you can call that a compliment,” Gualtieri said.

Gualtieri also talked about the lack of evidence saying that Iraq poses a threat.

She also said there is no evidence linking the September 11 attack to the Iraqi regime.

Afterward students formed groups to comment on their reactions.

Ashley Powers, history sophomore, said she was pleased with the meeting.

“The meeting was a great idea,” Powers said. “Although, I do wish it could have been a more two-sided debate.”

Other students came just for the television. “I have no antenna,” Chris Gabler, biology junior, said.

The last two professors to speak were Tony Ladd, associate professor of sociology, and Marcus Smith, associate professor of English. Ladd focused on the environment and our priorities.

Smith spoke of the reordering of the Middle East politics, and then left the podium with an anecdote.

“Just remember when a body is torn apart in the Middle East, the flies come within hours.”