Letters to the Editor

Letter: Let's give 'humanitarian aid' a chance to work in Syria

Has everyone forgotten Rumsfeld's and Cheney's glib affirmation that the attack on Iraq would be finished in a matter of days or weeks of "shock and awe?" How did that work out?

Now our country is talking about "surgical" strikes on Syria. No civilians will die, they say — except for a few possibly from "collateral damage." How dead is "collaterally" dead? Such precision, they say, will mean only the "bad guys" will be hit. But Assad is now hiding the "bad guys" among the innocent, or noncombatant citizens.

No "boots on the ground," say Kerry and the president. But if any boots get on the ground, they'll be filled by American feet, and blown off, along with other body parts.

Granted, Assad did a horrible thing, gassing his own people. Until the U.N. makes a statement on the matter, we would be insane to act unilaterally. If we want to do something for the Syrian people, let's see if anyone can say "humanitarian aid?" That kills no one, could help many, and would not anger the whole Middle East any more than they now hate us.

— Don McDermott

Anchorage

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