It's a lot easier to get in than it is to get out.

According to BYU professor Donna Lee Bowen, this simple truth applies to law school and grad school, but more importantly the Iraq war.

Bowen and other political science professors and experts joined for a roundtable discussion on the "future of Iraq" on Wednesday at Brigham Young University. Among the panelists was a University of Utah graduate student and Iraqi citizen, Hamida al-Masud.

"Many people were optimistic for the American involvement in Iraq," al-Masud said. "It took the power of the U.S. to bring Saddam down. But all the mistakes after his downfall have made it clear that their power is not enough."

She noted the absence of force to protect her country post-Saddam as one of the major mistakes.

"You must understand our cultural mindset and our previous regime," she said. "Understanding is the cornerstone. Even with the military force, there is a need to take the challenge of open communication."

Not one panelist came up with a magic solution to the Iraq crisis, but most suggested this combination of talk and force as key to a resolution.

"The biggest challenge to the future of Iraq is that it is controlled by individuals' agendas," said Christopher Jones, visiting professor in political science.

"Talking diffuses tension," Jones said. "Talking diffused the Cold War. What this process needs is political engagement and that requires patience."

Patience wasn't a virtue for audience member and humanities professor Michael Bush, who used the question period to voice his own opinions on the realities of "talk."

"We've thrown out a fair number of naive platitudes that I want to underscore," Bush said. "You can't have a political solution. You can't do that when all hell is breaking lose around you. The only solution is through a projection of force."

Jones retorted by saying: "Talk and force go hand in hand, but if you don't talk to these people, you're going to have to kill them. I'd much rather see that we talk to them" and even punctuated his rebuttal with a resolute "amen."

John Hughes, former editor for the Deseret Morning News turned BYU professor, also was a panelist and called today's situation a "somber reminder of what took place in the last days of the Vietnam War."

Hughes served as assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs during the Reagan administration and assistant secretary-general of the United Nations and called the recent call for a surge of troops Bush's "last roll of the dice."

"I think Bush saw Iraq as a catalyst for freedom in the Islamic world," he said. "Bush is a pretty stubborn guy and he thinks this does have a shot."

Democrats in Congress should not attempt a cutoff, which Hughes said would be "bad PR" for the party. Later, Hughes said no matter what the outcome is in Iraq, it is "absolutely necessary that the U.S. remain engaged in the Middle East."

Cooperation with neighboring countries Iran and Syria also brought out debate in the audience. When a student in the audience compared the U.S. treatment of Iran to a parent's treatment of an errant adolescent, Bowen extended the analogy by saying: "I'm convinced all problems of the world can be reduced to the psychology of a family. If you have a problem teenager, you don't shut them out of the house."

Bowen pointed out that the Iraq war isn't just one battle, it's a collection of many: Bush vs. Congress, Bush administration vs. unsatisfied Americans, Iraqi insurgents vs. U.S., Sunnis vs. Shiites.

"Which of these battles is going to determine the outcomefi I don't know," she said. "But the U.S. is driven more by political concerns rather than a responsibility for a region."

Kate McNeil can be reached at 344-2549 or kmcneil@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C1.