A different perspective. That is what a group of more than 30 students and community members received at last night's forum on the war in the Persian Gulf.

The event, sponsored by the Interfraternity Council and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, 524 Locust Lane, featured guest speakers Dr. Arthur Goldschmidt Jr., professor of Middle East history and Dr. Wayne Husted, religious studies program lecturer.

The program, held at the fraternity, offered students the opportunity to ask the two men questions after they expressed their observations about the war.

Goldschmidt began the discussion by expressing his support of the war even though he harbors a certain amount of pessimism regarding the long-term status of the region.

"The one major problem with the entire conflict is a lack of a U.S. policy in a region of constant instability" Goldschmidt said. "The countries in the region have had a history of changing their governments as often as they change their clothes."

Following Goldschmidt's comments, Husted provided the religious background of ideologies in the Middle East, adding that the conflict will ultimately involve the popular beliefs of the masses in the region.

"Religion will be involved whether we like it or not, whether we can help it or not," he said.

The combination of religious background and the basic facts of the conflict helped the audience understand the magnitude of the war.

"I thought the program was excellent, " said Julie Baker, one of several Kappa Delta sorority members attending. "I think (the speakers) were very knowledgeable and gave me a lot of background on the people and their religions."

Vance Rubenstein, IFC chapter programs chairperson, said the program's attendance was "more or less average for a rainy night."

"People got a varied and different perspective about the whole situation in the gulf," he added.