ANOTHER SERGEANT'S LTE

I was cleaning out my inbox and I found this:

Stars and Stripes

Letters to the Editor for Thursday, November 30, 2006

Some people just don’t get it

I read with both laughter and dismay “Americans fail
to understand” (letter, Nov. 17) and concluded that
the author doesn’t understand.

The elections were all about Americans understanding
this fiasco that we call the war in Iraq. I think
there are many people around the world who now see the
light; that this war was a mistake that was brought on
by lies and half-truths.

I agree with the author on a couple of points:
Americans do not understand that a major part of the
problem with this war and other areas of the Middle
East is that the U.S. has been interfering with the
internal politics of many countries in the region and
playing these countries against each other for
political, economic or military gain.

I believe the letter writer is a big fan of the
“state-run news agency” (FOX news). I can tell this by
his choice of phrases such as “cut and run” and the
famous “American political left and their stooges.” I
think he needs to replay some of the news footage
prior to the start of the war and view it from then to
present, and maybe he will come to a different
conclusion.

The author is right that doing the right thing is
hard. The problem is, though, that the present
administration just doesn’t want to do the right
thing. The right thing is to put pressure on the
present Iraqi government and set milestones it needs
to make. If these milestones are not achieved, then we
need to start withdrawing troops and withholding
support.

1st Sgt. Marvin J. Dye Sr.
Camp Speicher, Iraq