Public doesn’t have insight to judge

So Americans are shocked at the “atrocities” committed by our soldiers. Imagine being a soldier in Iraq and daily facing the knowledge of the torture and abuse Muslim extremists use on their prisoners. Even worse, knowing what they do to civilians – hiding behind women and children while soldiers try to “fight by the rules.”

It’s easy to judge, while sitting on comfortable sofas watching big screen TVs.

This issue isn’t political. It’s a military issue and should be handled inside their legal system. We’re undermining our military by trying to control situations through the limited insight of public opinion. Our soldiers need to know we support them. Yet, our faction-driven populace has seized this problem as an opportunity in an election year to discredit the administration and war efforts. In the process, our country and soldiers are further degraded before the world. It’s an embarrassment that we’re so divided by party and that the greater good of our country is not important. We want our way at any cost, regardless of long-term effects.

Terrorism and war are ugly and not something that you or I, with all our worldly insight, have the tools to judge.

Rhonda Jansen

Mukilteo