European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 11, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 stars and stripes wednesday april 11 2007 Thomas e Kelsch publisher Richard Braun general manager Europe it col Stephen Oconnor commander news and editorial Robb Grindstaff Doug Clawson executive editor managing editor Europe Sam Amrhein Europe chief Joseph Giordono Mideast Bureau chief Marni Centes assistant Bureau chief Washington do assistant managing editors Mary Bender news Sean mores sports Brian Bowers features Christopher six Patrick Dickson news editor Joe a Romels web editor addresses us mail unit 2s480 Apo a 09211 interkat10nal mail Postrach 133064345 Gri Sheira Germany fax Dan 3498416 Civ 0 email news letters Central Force 529 14th Street new suite 350 Washington do 200451301 phone Dan 3127630900 or Civ 202 7610900 fax 202 7610890 editorial director 529 14th sin suite 350 Washington do 200451301 phone Dan 3127630945 or Civ 202 7610945 Kow to Call us editor Dan 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problem in response to pc Charles Zimmerman problems in us first letter March i have to agree with him America has problems however i completely disagree with his assertion that America is the prob Lem when he referred to the War As a War he president win that s just wrong he stated that he is a sixth generation 15year Veteran and that he is with the Kansas National guard in glad he did not refer to himself As a Soldier because Bis comments Are not a reflection of the sol Diers with whom Ive served his comments disparaging our presi Dent bring great discredit upon himself and those in his family who donned that uniform before him in not suggesting that he be silenced but if he has that much disdain for his commander in chief Why Doest he resign he can join the Cindy Sheehane and the John marthas of the ant America Antiwar left i hear code Pink is actively recruiting veterans who share his views the problem is not America the prob Lem is americans like the letter writer who do More damage to our country with their ant american comments than any terrorist attack i served my country under presidents Reagan George he Bush and Clinton though i didst agree with All of president Clinton policies i showed him the re Spect As my commander in chief mat some How got lost in the letter writers Genera Tion Coivin Schriver Yokosuka Japan not bad to reach out to Syria comments by president Bush about House speaker Nancy Kelosis trip to Syria show that his critics were right when he took office in 2001 Bush is clueless when it comes to foreign policy Bush policy of not talking with coun tries that Are enemies of the United states reminds me of High school the whole idea of the state department is to open and continue dialogue with other countries even the ones you dont get along with just How does he expect to get countries like Syria and Iran to comply if he Doest communicate with them even Back in the 1960s and 70s during the height of the cold War presidents Kennedy and Nixon talked with Russia and China open communication with Syria Doest necessarily mean appeasement it will however show the Middle East and the world that we Are willing to seek a solution to the massive problems that plague the re Gion which in turn affects the rest of the world i applaud the congressional delegates democratic and Republican who along with the commission Are think ing out of the Box in regard to the prob lems affecting the Middle East the failed Tell us what you think stars and stripes welcomes your comments on editorials and columns that Are published in the newspaper and values letters on topics of importance in the fives of our readers All letters must be signed and must include the writers address or base and Telephone number please limit All letters to 300 words we Reserve the right to edit letters for length taste and clarity Send your letters to us Mai stars and stripes unit 29480 Apo a 09211 International Maii stars and stripes Postrach 1330 64345 Griesheim via fax country code 449 0 Dan 3498395 email policy of the Bush administration helped create the problems we see today True they were underlying but in turn we must accept some responsibility of making a bad situation worse it is time to try a different path direct communication with our enemies could be that path it Doest mean that we Are weak but rather the opposite the sad thing is that we were on the right track with Iran after sept 11 until Bush decided to include it in the Axis of evil so As not to look like he was going after just Iraq Iran helped us in overthrowing the Taliban by providing intelligence and Clos ing its Borders to fleeing Al Aida and Tali ban members it was because of Bush Axis of evil speech that the iranians voted in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad if Bush really wants to bring stability to the Region then maybe he should do some thing besides talking Tough about military options that we do not have and Only speak ing with our friends his adolescent poli cies Are Only making things worse Jonathan Smith Vicenza Italy guardsmen also contributing the March 27 article logistics company keeps troops moving was a great Story about us Marine corps Supply Convoy operations in Iraq they Are doing a very dangerous and very important Job Over a very Large area unfortunately your publication and your reporter makes it look like this giant task is Only accomplished by the marines you have slighted thousands of other Fine men and women in the us armed forces who Are doing the same Job in the same areas our army National guardsmen Are out there doing the same thing Many have been there for multiple Tours they too come from most All of the different states the 121st Field artillery battalion army National guard has people in it from Maine Wisconsin and Nevada operating out of Camp Avistar Kuwait these folks Are in harms Way enduring Long Days in 100degreeplus All they wish to do is to get All the ammo fuel and food to All the people in our Fine army marines and air Force and on time members of our army National guard and reserves Are doing their share to win the War on terror and to keep the terrorists out of our country they deserve lots of recognition too Many us citizens All the politicians and All the press seem to forget that it was president Clinton and is crowd that Cut our Overall military strength in half it was Clinton who caused the need for what sen John Kerry termed a Back door draft that made it necessary for most All of our guard and Reserve to be called to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide the number of people we need to fight this War please continue to support All of the forces around the world they All need recognition and support to keep up their Fine spirit and dedication let us not forget that our army guard and All reserves Are minute men also chief Petty officer David Mercier retired Athens Maine insensitive toward contractors it really disgusted me to read the cold blooded and insensitive remarks by two letter writers who insinuate that the lives of contractors in Iraq and elsewhere Are less valuable than anyone in uniform responsibility belongs and con tractors on Money Trail March these individuals who put themselves at risk working Over there Are just As Brave As service members any civilian contractor who loses his or her life work ing Over there deserves plenty of recognition i was furious when Nicolas Berg was beheaded and when four others were burned and hanged from that Bridge in fal Lujah but i sense the two letter writers feel it didst happen to any of their comrades so the loss of those people Doest account for anything i dont think these two soldiers have the courage to go up to the family members of civilians killed and Tell them How they feel to their faces Janice Byrd Silverdale Wash hag Patch not sewn on right currently when the american Flag Patch is sewn on the right shoulder of us troops combat uniforms the Blue Field is to the right the Flag manual says that the Flag is always on the viewers left and the Blue Field is to the left also but the Way it is on troops the Blue Field is on the right when viewed by someone else looking at their shoulder please let me see this Small paragraph in print to address a very Large mis take for All George e Moyer Okinawa doonesbury by Garry Trudeau thou on v5rn div Thomam to u5 about h15s5x lift im5an policy Blu Pep in u5 Iha to haunt 1wnkgop for out checks