Published: June 13, 2009 09:29 am      

Letters for June 13, 2009

Incidents show why to distrust military

The Haditha killings took place in 2005, when allegedly innocent Iraqi men, women and children were killed by Marines. Initially, a Marine Corps communiqu reported that 15 noncombatants were killed by a bomb blast and eight insurgents were subsequently killed when the Marines returned fire against those attacking their convoy. A Time magazine reporter's questions prompted our military to investigation the incident.

According to a Pentagon official, the investigation claimed it found evidence that "supports accusations that U.S. Marines deliberately shot civilians, including unarmed women and children."

In 2007, the investigating officer recommended that Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich be tried for negligent homicide in deaths of two women and five children. At least three officers had been officially reprimanded for initially failing to properly report and investigate the killings.

In 2008, charges against seven of the eight Marines were dropped. The investigating officer conceded that the central issue was who is to be believed, and he was disinclined to recommend a trial because he thought it was unlikely any Iraqi would agree to come to the U.S. to testify.

Colin Powell's "My American Journey" revealed "one of the darker chapters of American military history. A platoon headed by 1st Lt. Wm. Calley entered the hamlet of My Lai and herded 347 old men, women, children and even babies into a ditch and shot them." The number of victims could be much higher, but the Pentagon's cover-up continues.

In "The Arrogance of Power," Sen. William Fulbright pointed out: "We are not God's chosen savior of mankind but only one of mankind's more successful and fortunate branches, endowed by our Creator with about the same capacity for good and evil, no more or less, than the rest of humanity."

Our political leadership must never completely trust the military, nor civilians our political leadership.

Jim O'Leary

Delhi

Too many think they speak for God

This is in response to Howard Hacker's letter of June 4. I won't get into dissecting the wording as he did to Mr. Roberts' letter.

I do not believe that homosexuality is an immoral behavior. People are who they are and need not be judged for it. I am not a homosexual nor do I look on it as a sin. They are people just like you and me. Too many times there are those who think they speak for God. My belief in God means that he/she is all loving and accepting, no matter what.

Now as far as abortion _ it's a woman's right to choose, period. Who is anyone to say what she can or cannot do? Remember, Jesus died for all our sins, so if it is a sin, she is instantly forgiven. I don't believe it is one.

I am a person in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. I served my country with honor during a career in the Navy, part of the time as a drug and alcohol counselor. "Substance abuse" is a lifelong process that I take a day at a time. Part of my recovery process is having God in my life to help me through the tough times. Drug and alcohol addiction is a tough issue that needs the support of the community. People aren't "fiends" or "sots." They have an addiction. They need help.

Rob Baum

Oneonta