FutureRanger2000
20 November 2000, 14:37
This was posted in the Special Forces Forum by Razor, who saw it in U.S. News and World report today. I thought it should also be posted here.
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"Regarding the bombing of the USS Cole: Any loss of life is always a travesty. However, when we send our warships to patrol along foreign coastlines, we are implicitly threatening all the civilians living within range of those ships' artillery. America would never tolerate such hostile actions from other nations. Why do we expect the rest of the world to perpetually tolerate such actions from us? Terrorism is in the eye of the beholder. Just ask any Iraqi mother as she watches American bombers flying overhead." -Ray Smith, Cherry Hill, NJ
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This was my reply:
That is really disheartening. I really hope that the general public does not feel the same way as Mr. Smith. Correct me if I misread this letter, but is this person implying that the Sailors on the USS Cole deserved the awful fate that was dealt to them? First of all, the United States of America is not in the business of threatening or harming innocent civilians. Why do you think we spend so much money on laser guided smart-bombs and Tomahawk missiles? We do that so if the need arises, we can destroy an enemy's infrastructure without jeopardizing the lives of innocent civilians. Second of all, patrolling in International waters is not a hostile act. Neither is refueling in an International port. We would not tolerate foreign warships patrolling our coasts, because we have not done anything to warrant that. However, the countries that our ships patrol off of have warranted such action. And as for that "Terrorism is in the eye of the beholder" crack, let me just say this: America does not terrorize other countries. Members of other countries terrorize us for trying to assist others, and make their lives better.
P.S. Mr. Smith lives in the same town as I do, and I can assure you that he is practically alone in his feelings. Our town has put forth some excellent members of society, and some excellent members of the United States Military. Lieutenant Jeffrey Zaun, an A-6 pilot shot down over Iraq in the Gulf War hails from Cherry Hill, as does Major James L. Cardoso, an MH-53 Pave Low pilot who was awarded the Silver Star for flying as the lead pilot in a Combat Search and Rescue mission to rescue a downed F-117 Pilot who was shot down over Serbia.
_____________________________________________
"Regarding the bombing of the USS Cole: Any loss of life is always a travesty. However, when we send our warships to patrol along foreign coastlines, we are implicitly threatening all the civilians living within range of those ships' artillery. America would never tolerate such hostile actions from other nations. Why do we expect the rest of the world to perpetually tolerate such actions from us? Terrorism is in the eye of the beholder. Just ask any Iraqi mother as she watches American bombers flying overhead." -Ray Smith, Cherry Hill, NJ
_____________________________________________
This was my reply:
That is really disheartening. I really hope that the general public does not feel the same way as Mr. Smith. Correct me if I misread this letter, but is this person implying that the Sailors on the USS Cole deserved the awful fate that was dealt to them? First of all, the United States of America is not in the business of threatening or harming innocent civilians. Why do you think we spend so much money on laser guided smart-bombs and Tomahawk missiles? We do that so if the need arises, we can destroy an enemy's infrastructure without jeopardizing the lives of innocent civilians. Second of all, patrolling in International waters is not a hostile act. Neither is refueling in an International port. We would not tolerate foreign warships patrolling our coasts, because we have not done anything to warrant that. However, the countries that our ships patrol off of have warranted such action. And as for that "Terrorism is in the eye of the beholder" crack, let me just say this: America does not terrorize other countries. Members of other countries terrorize us for trying to assist others, and make their lives better.
P.S. Mr. Smith lives in the same town as I do, and I can assure you that he is practically alone in his feelings. Our town has put forth some excellent members of society, and some excellent members of the United States Military. Lieutenant Jeffrey Zaun, an A-6 pilot shot down over Iraq in the Gulf War hails from Cherry Hill, as does Major James L. Cardoso, an MH-53 Pave Low pilot who was awarded the Silver Star for flying as the lead pilot in a Combat Search and Rescue mission to rescue a downed F-117 Pilot who was shot down over Serbia.