Veterans Day...

[CamarosRus]

I am a (in country) Viet-Nam vet. I was drafted, but then enlisted to become a Helicopter Mechanic. Someone please remind me what the death of 50,000+ American lives (and the countless disabled vets) accomplished to maintain our freedom against communist aggression.

Now these 19-21 year old marines are getting killed in Afghanstan to protect our freedom. Does anybody believe that our presence in Iraq and Afghanstan will have any long term effect on eliminating the threat of Al Quaida (sp?) or other militant groups that seek to bring us harm.

Were throwing billions of dollars at corrupt govts and their leaders. Were trying to democratize these ancient muslim cultures and that will never happen.

My sincere condolences to all those who have lost family and friends in these recent years. My thanks to those have served and to those that are still active duty.

I am leaving my home soon, and make the short drive to visit TAHOMA NATL CEMETARY. My father is buried there (WW2) and eventually so will I.

Written with tears in my eyes as I am so frustrated
, upset and saddened by these deaths and foreign policies, all in the name of keeping us free.

Sincerely, Chuck Sharin

[tom406]

A thanks to all veterans today. Last weekend I had an opportunity to view the traveling version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that was in Auburn, WA for several days. My two boys, ages 7 and 11, are currently enamored of the "fun" side of war-i.e. the battleships, fighter jets, and weapons featured on "Deadliest Warriors". They couldn't figure out why I was driving through the rain to take them to a memorial that didn't have a band or fireworks. I think they understood after we were there and saw those 58,000 names stretched out in tiny print. We looked up a friend of my parents who died. The boys and I looked him up in the book, I asked them to figure out his age - a few months shy of 20. We looked at the day he was killed, June 9th, 1969. I have to admit getting choked up realizing that he left this world the day before I arrived on June 10. When you ponder the lives not lived-I've already been around twice as long as Mr. PAUL R EDMOND (panel 23W, line 118)-and extrapolate that to the thousands of names on that memorial and every war before or since, the horrible cost is quite apparent.

I know that there are warriors among us. I know that they are needed. But if we truly honor these folks, we should demand that they fight for things that are truly worth the cost. Many will differ in opinion on what is worth fighting for, but the debate is important, because that case has to be brought strongly to justify the price paid.