Your editorial of May 14 (“Brutality reminds us who our enemies are”) invites answer.
As long as the United States is present in Iraq as an occupying force, brutalities will occur on both sides. Horrible as they are, it is time to stop thinking in Old Testament terms of an eye for an eye and take seriously the New Testament where Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin among you, cast the first stone.” Why not declare victory and bring home the troops? Ways to do this are being proposed by historians, diplomats and writers who have memory and knowledge of the Vietnam conflict.
For example, as soon as we depart, the United Nations can bring together Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds to work out their own roadmap to democracy. Meanwhile, the United States can participate with other countries through the United Nations to ship food, medicine and engineers to rebuild Iraq. As we withdraw, we can designate a competent Iraqi patriot to declare victory and give the Iraqis a leader to rally around.
For those who say “we must not cut and run, but stay the course,” remember the president who said that and then, a few years later, 58,000 Americans and several million Vietnamese were dead. The courage to change course is badly needed and it will be honored – eventually. But so far, neither political party realizes this. I think it is time to begin.
ALICE DEWELL
Everett
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