Dear Editor:
Once again we have a president who commits our military to participate in another civil war. Some of the people of Libya want to remove their evil ruler by force. Hurrah for them! However, it is not our problem. If the European countries want to remove Qaddafi, they should do the heavy lifting. Almost all the oil goes to Europe, not the USA. We have been carrying the load fighting wars for Europeans since World War II. Its time they took care of themselves. Britain and France are supposedly carrying their share of the load. We launch over 100 Tomahawk missiles at $1 million apiece and Britain shoots two. That doesnt sound equal to me.
In my humble opinion, this country has not engaged in an absolutely necessary war since the Korean War. I am a Vietnam combat veteran, and I can tell you that the 10 years involvement was a complete waste of 58,000 American lives and untold Vietnamese lives. The Vietnam War was a civil war, and we had no business being there. The justification was based on a lie by the president, LBJ, which resulted in the Gulf of Tonkin resolution by Congress.
The war in Iraq was based on a lie by the Bush administration that Saddam had WMD, which was false. Like Qaddafi, Saddam was a bad man, but the world is full of bad rulers. If our national safety is not threatened, butt out. The invasion of Afghanistan was necessary to destroy the terrorist training camps. But why, 10 years later, are we still there?
A logical answer would be wonderful. But Washington does not deal in logic.
Congress has a Constitutional duty to exert more control over this country going to war. But dont hold your breath.
William H. Taylor
Dolores