Letter to the Editor – 7/10/13

Saluting troops

Bob Jones’ column “To War Or Not To War, America?” is correct in his observation that Americans generally think “our military serves the country well.” Anyone who has signed up since 9/11 deserves to be called “brave” and thanked.

But it is not our soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen who choose to start wars – it’s our political leaders, most of whom have never been in an actual war. They were wrong about Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Let’s hope President Obama is not wrong about Syria. We caused a civil war in Iraq, let’s not enter one in Syria.

Robert Gomes
Honolulu

Shocking history

The cover story on Hawaii residents who fought in the American Civil War was as fascinating as it was shocking – as the headline said, ‘Who knew?” But while their individual motives may have been noble, in effect they were mercenaries fighting in another country’s civil war.

David Barnes
Nuuanu

Palin nails it

I never ever thought I would find anything Sarah Palin said to be smart. But she absolutely “nailed this one,” as Patrick Buchanan wrote in his column “Syrian War: Let Allah Work It Out.”

What possible benefit could there be for America to enter another Middle Eastern war? So far all we’ve done is rile up the Muslim world, given young men in Third World places a target for their anger and hopelessness, and killed off thousands of our own while helping to ruin the U.S. economy.

Of course we must defend ourselves, but America should never again enter “a war of choice.”

Lorraine Morioka
Honolulu

Outsider loathing

What is it about Larry Price’s and his disdain for anything or anyone from outside Hawaii? Once again he is very critical of a Mainland study, this one finding we could do a

better job educating teachers. Based on our comparative student test scores, that should be obvious even to one as prejudiced and closed-minded as Mr. Price.

Janis Lee
Honolulu

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