Iraq War veteran Captain Paul Chappell will share his insight into war and peace tonight at 8 p.m. in the Multicultural Center.

Chappell, who wrote a book titled Will War Ever End?: A Soldier’s Vision of Peace for the 21st Century, will reveal how his experience during deployment shaped his outlook on the prospects of attaining a peaceful society. Chappell also serves as director of Santa Barbara’s Nuclear Age Peace Foundation leadership program, which assists students working towards nuclear disarmament.

Chappell said he hopes to use his perspective as a soldier to illustrate that peace can mean more than just the absence of war.

“By speaking, I hope to give a sense of empowerment,” Chappell said. “There are problems in the world that we can solve.”

According to Chappell, his time at West Point and seven years of service in the military actually caused him to adopt an anti-war stance.

“Many people who join the army and go to war do it because they want peace,” Chappell said.

Human Rights Group co-president Tammy Fisher, a fourth-year global studies and political science major, said the experience that Chappell brings to his speech is a priceless commodity for students attempting to understand world affairs more fully.

“He has a general education about a subject that affects all of us,” Fisher said.

Anna Zitter, a first-year biology major, said it is vital for students to hear a direct account of the situation in Iraq.

“[He is] someone who knows first-hand how ugly war can be,” Zitter said. “I think it’s very important because it’s advice coming from someone who has been through war.”

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