• Reflecting after 10 years in Iraq • On atrazine • U.S. invasion of Korea? Reflecting after 10 years in Iraq Looking back on the 10-year anniversary of the Iraq war, many of us can remember the silence in the
• Reflecting after 10 years in Iraq • On atrazine • U.S. invasion of Korea?
Reflecting after 10 years in Iraq
Looking back on the 10-year anniversary of the Iraq war, many of us can remember the silence in the media before this war started. This was a disservice to those Americans who were willing to stand up and say that they wanted their sons and daughters that are taught to fight to be put in the right fights and the right causes. These voices were smothered out by the neocons that believed the Bush administration was right to invade Iraq.
No real challenge came from the news media against going into Iraq before the attack. In fact, the neocons were given a free hand, and the faint voices that spoke out against the war were kept off the front pages and judged by many as unpatriotic.
For those of us that believe our country went down the wrong path, we have to stand up and not march behind those that are willing to fool themselves. In Vietnam and Iraq, we didn’t buy into the overstated greatness of those causes that many of us looked at as trumped up illusions.
Because of our dissent, the other side has always used patriotism to feed the illusion that we were all in it together. We love this country, and we love our sons and daughters. We don’t want them coming back in body bags, missing limbs and damaged minds, for leaders looking for a selfish legacy and driven by a false ideology.
Alfred Waddell, West Dennis, Mass.
On atrazine
The article “House to hear 2 resolutions asking for atrazine study” described the traditional government approach to anything they won’t act on. Let’s study it.
The article makes clear that not only are the side effects already well documented, but that large parts of the world have acted without any ill economic effects.
Take the money from the study, hire the testers and pass the ban.
Peter Wuebker, Wainiha
U.S. invasion of Korea?
I would like to comment on this seemingly growing concern with North Korea.
I agree 100 percent that The U.S. and allies must have some concern about the growing saber rattling of North Korea. If this concern would cause another Korean War, with all hope, this war must be fought for all of the right reasons.
With all due respect to President Bush’s Administration, I believe the Iraq war and The current Afghan war were and are being fought for the purposes of nation building.
I have heard enough from the news media and our government to know, nation building is not supposed to be our job. Perhaps this is the main reason that we are not involved in the Syrian civil war. We, as a nation, and a people, all believe in freedoms for ourselves and others, but the idea of nation building goes too far.
Many of us believe that the U.S. and allies are not involved enough in this Syrian War. Our governments are moving cautiously because it is not clear as to what kind of government will emerge if the current Syrian government falls. It may very well be that the jury is still out for the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan, also.
In closing, I would like to pose this question: The brave U.S. troops are not scheduled to be completely out of Afghanistan until mid to late 2014. My question is, how long would it take if these brave troops were needed in Korea?
Timothy Tim Monroe Bledsoe, North Augusta, S.C.
