Editor,
I would like to offer a response to Mr. Ivan Simic's article.
The proverbial undertaking of why do climbers climb a mountain can be examined again in this situation. It has been said that a climber climbs a mountain for this simple reason, because the mountain is there. By the same logic, can we say that the United States of America joined a conflict simply because it is there?
I respond as a combat Veteran of the Desert Storm Operation in South West Asia 1991 an others as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps with two sons at the US Military Academy at West Point who will probably sooner than later join in on an existing conflict or at the beginning of a new one.
The decision to join or not to enter a conflict is based on several factors. One is how and to what extend this conflict is going to negatively affect the US and its allies security. It is no secret that if the US is not involved in the Middle East, its security of Oil Supply will be in jeopardy. Over the past year, this has been the case, and the US is suffering because of high cost of energy. Could you imagine where the middle east have taken the rest of the world if the US did not involve in Iraq?
War is an ugly thing, some one said. But it is not the ugliest of all things. The ugliest thing is people who think there is nothing worth fighting for in this world.
I believe that a better approach is to ask the warring nations in the world to stop fighting. This will free up the US to spend more of its money on the economics around the world as you suggested.
I will sleep better at night knowing that my sons and all the sons of Nations in the Military are building bridges, hospitals, power plants, water supplies all over the world instead of killing each others.
The US is saying, if it is not Us then who? If it is not now, then when?
Good Day
Mafi 'o Amerika Samoa.
slkava [at] samoatelco [dot] com
