War weighs heavy on local residents

Among the rows of television sets broadcasting March Madness in Bully's Sports Bar and Grill on Friday, were some stations tuned to live coverage of the war in Iraq.

"I'm watching one on war and one on basketball," said Bob Sieg, sitting at the bar in Carson City.

The annual March basketball tournament seemed to offer a welcome respite to patrons who have been inundated with images of bombing.

"I watch (the war coverage) all the time because of the significance it has regarding our country," Sieg said.

Mark Wilfert, a real-estate agent, has stayed tuned to coverage while at work.

"I've been watching it all day," he said. "It's pretty intense to watch a war on TV."

With three school-age kids, Wilfert said he hopes the war will ease fears of terrorism within the United States.

"I think about getting a call from the school saying there's been an attack," he said. "I support our servicemen and our president 100 percent. That's the cost of freedom."

Mortgage service specialist Kyle Rush said he finds comfort in the battle.

"It's not really emotional for me because I agree with it," he said. "It think it's a good thing. Saddam is an evil dictator and in the past, we've let things like this go too far."

But Mike Ryan, 56, struggles with the realities of warfare.

"I can't sleep at night," he said. "I dream about it. I wake up in the morning with tears in my eyes for the poor Iraqi children."

And in the third day of war, some were beginning to tire of the constant coverage.

Barb McCampbell, self-employed, flips between channels.

"Sometimes it gets a little too much," she said. "I just watch to get updates. I don't want to see it all the time."