Change of command

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has been replaced by President Barack Obama after making derogatory comments about the president and his colleagues.

There is a disconnect. Politicians and presidents declare wars, yet many of these politicians never fought in a war. They don’t have a clue about what needs to be done or how to do it. Yet they want our young fighting men and women to risk their lives with badly timed and ill-equipped missions.

It is true that disrespectful public commentary does not speak well of the order and discipline expected among the ranks. But if you don’t want to be accused of being stupid, then don’t hand down stupid decisions.

Our fighting men and women eat MREs and sleep in the dust of Afghanistan and Iraq. They see firsthand what our presence is doing to the populace and their way of life. The politicians do not. Our fighting men and women see firsthand the toll war takes on their brothers and sisters in arms. Politicians do not.

Propaganda and rhetoric may win elections, but it takes blood, sweat, tears and loss of life to win wars.

Robert M. Collinsworth

Harrisville, N.H.

Double standard?

In his June 21 letter, Alan Northcutt stated that the actions Israel has taken in Gaza are because it does not approve of the “democratically elected government of Gaza.” It would have been more accurate to say that Israel does not approve of the thousands of rockets that Gaza’s government has fired into Israel. 

When the United States discovered the threat of rockets  launched against us by Cuba, we established a blockade. Why should Israel be judged by a different standard?

Maurice Labens

Waco

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Alan Northcutt’s June 21 letter is a perverse statement of the facts. Video shows Israeli soldiers being beaten upon landing on several seagoing vessels.

Northcutt is a member of Friends of Peace. They are nice folks, but their attention to matters is so far into left field they would have to jump the fence to get back on the ball field.

Peace is a great thing to seek and especially to pray for, but the truth is the truth no matter what one believes.

Kyle Fallon

Waco

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I was stunned to read that the Waco Friends of Peace will host a pro-Hamas speaker July 7 at Poppa Rollo’s Pizza. I tried to call the pizzeria to complain but could not get through.

By hosting this event, the owners are taking an anti-Jewish stance. The gang-raping, infanticide and indiscriminate murder of innocent Christians by Hamas in Lebanon is very well documented.

If Poppa Rollo’s owners want to be anti-Christian and anti-Jewish and support these kind of despots, it’s up to them. However, they will never get another penny from me.

David Thomas

Hillsboro