While intense focus on the war in Iraq has been placed onAmerican and coalition casualties, one group has chosen to directits attention to the war's animal casualties.
"Using animals in war is cruel and a wasteful loss of life,"said Stephanie Boyles, a 5-year wildlife biologist employee forPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
After Pentagon officials announced animals would be used in thewar in Iraq, PETA released a statement condemning the use of dogs,chickens, pigeons, sea lions and dolphins to detect mines andbiological and chemical weapons.
In another effort to curtail the use of animals in the MiddleEast, Boyles mailed a letter to Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeldrequesting the military stop using animals in its operations.
Although equipment is available for detecting landmines andchemical and biological agents, due to budget cuts the U.S.military has opted to use animals as a less expensive source ofdetection.
PETA members dispute that although the plan to use animals ismore cost effective, it is inhumane and can prove to beunreliable.
"There should be no expense spared when it comes to the safetyof our troops," Boyles said.
Both dolphins and sea lions have been equipped with cameras tohelp detect underwater landmines and intercept terrorists.
"This practice will encourage Iraqi fighters to wage war on theanimals to slow coalition forces," Boyles said.
Along with dolphins and sea lions, other animals have beenrecruited to aid in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Both chickens and pigeons are used by the coalition military forearly detection of chemical and biological weapons. Similar to theuse of canaries by coal workers in mines, military personnel relyon the birds to signal elevated levels of biological or chemicalagents, prompting troops to put on their full biological andchemical protective equipment.
The presence of chemical or biological agents is signified bythe death of the bird.
This process, some PETA members argue, is not effective.
"By the time the birds die from the agents, troops have alreadybeen exposed," Boyles said.
Despite PETA members' arguments, some University of Memphisstudents said using animals is necessary for the safety of ourtroops.
"I'm all for it," said Rick Van Slambrook, junior psychologymajor. "Yes, we are exploiting animals, but we have for thousandsof years. Just look at the thousands of lives medical research hassaved."
Senior music industry major Michele Green agreed. "I don't likeit, but it's better than sacrificing a human life. It is anecessary evil."
Although the U.S. military is at the center of the animalcruelty accusation now, in the past PETA has contacted otherpolitical leaders regarding their treatment of animals in combatsituations.
Following a bus bombing in Jerusalem where a donkey was strappedwith explosives, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk made an appeal tothe Leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization Yasser Arafatto leave animals out of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The organization has received no responses to its letters ande-mails, Boyles said, but members continue to lobby against usinganimals in warfare.
