Two excellent Stars & Stripes letters on "Patriots' Day"

[lebkuchen]

What Iraqi lawmakers missed

This month the Iraqi parliament — well, a little over half of its members — reconvened in Baghdad after the monthlong summer vacation they took while the war in their country raged on. It is revealing, and sad, to take stock of what happened while the Iraqi lawmakers were “having a good time, wish you were here.”

First, another 81 brave American troops made the ultimate sacrifice and hundreds more were wounded in action. In addition, almost 1,800 of the lawmakers’ own countrymen, women and children were slaughtered in attacks by insurgents, militias and terrorists — the highest Iraqi death toll this year.

While the legislators and their families were enjoying Amman, Cairo and Damascus, about 8 million Iraqis went for another month in urgent need of water, sanitation, food and shelter and another 60,000 desperate Iraqis fled their country in search of peace, security and subsistence...



Peace needs equality to last

I must disagree with George Will, the columnist who wrote “How D-Day put Europe on a new path” (Sept. 2). War is never the answer. Quite the contrary, war is usually the catalyst for future conflict. Peace and equality must be the only answer.

World War II was the direct result of World War I and the power vacuum created by the Allies. The defenseless and starving Germans were ready for anyone offering hope, and in walked Adolf Hitler, a lowly and flunky corporal. The rest, as they say, is history.

Look at the world today, how many of the recent wars or conflicts have been the result of previous conflicts? Answer, all of them. The Iraqi wars were the result of previous conflicts. America armed, trained and funded Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war. America also armed, trained and funded Osama bin Laden and his group of zealots in their fight against the former Soviet Union. I must quote Ben Franklin, “There is no good war or bad peace.”


More...

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=48675

[Sherman A1]

1. Good LTTE

Thanks for the link

[lebkuchen]

3. It was a relief to see them

Those of us on some military bases have been bombarded with a jingoistic exploitation of 9-11. Sometimes you need a reminder that there are sane, thoughtful people out there.

[Richard Steele]

2. K&R

[lebkuchen]

4. These two writers are real patriots

unlike the pretenders in our WH.

[Marrah_G]

5. It's not Patriots day Dammit!

Patriots day is April 19th.

Lexington?

Concord?

Shot heard round the world?

Real Patriots?

The Minutemen?

One if by land, Two if by sea?

Earth to George, come in George!

It's astonishing what an ignorant fool our "CIC" is.

[lebkuchen]

6. Thank you.