In regards to the leak of military information on the Web, I believe there are two ways to look at this.
One is it has done the Pentagon a favor by pointing out a flaw in its security system. The Pentagon says this may endanger our troops. However, the Pentagon should blame no one but itself because of the lack of security.
Two, without whistleblowers, we might still be in the Korea and Vietnam wars. Sometimes whistleblowers release information the government doesn't want the public to know if a war is going badly with little chance of winning. I'm afraid this is what is happening now.
Only if the public knows all the facts can we decide on the outcome of a war. I have noticed many things that the Pentagon is trying to keep the public from knowing. However, space will only allow me to mention only a few.
One, these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have caused the desertion of ground troops and the suicide of more than 1,100 of our troops. Some of our money sent to Pakistan has been used to fund and train the Taliban in Afghanistan, which means some of our tax dollars are being used to kill our own brave troops, as reported in Time Magazine of Aug. 3.
The cover-up of torture in these wars has caused more hate. The failure to report on the deaths caused by our drones has added to the hate of our country and allies, which may cause even the peaceful, moderate Muslims to become terrorists. Our government has failed to report on the true cost of these wars, which may be in the trillions.
Louis J. Anesi is a Korean War veteran and a member of Veterans for Peace. He lives in Centralia.
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Actually, Louis, we (the United Nations) are still technically at war with the People's Republic of Korea. A cease fire was negotiated in 1953, but there has been no formal resolution of the war. There has been talk about a peace treaty, but there has been no treaty.
The situation makes the Korean War ("Conflict") ("Police Action") the longest war by far in United States history. (It also provides fodder for military history professors who desire to put "trick" questions on their exams.)