Make peace with peace

Skepticism? Guest commentator Bob Stilger (Aug. 9) was too kind, correcting your editorial misstatement that two Japanese cities were vaporized, roasted and radiated to end World War II. I admire his civility and his work for a people my country treated so savagely in my infancy.

As I learned, in the 1970s, the real reasons for our crimes against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I shared with my mother, who had thanked God for the A-bomb, believing with most Americans that it brought my father home sooner, safer. After facing our fear of the Soviets, delay of Japan’s surrender, and President Truman’s cover-up, she could deal with my having fought an unnecessary, illegal war in Vietnam.

Our country now celebrates my undeclared war as if it had been something other than ignominious defeat, although we slaughtered millions of Vietnamese. Please do not participate in this fraud against young and future citizens already saddled with perpetual, unwinnable war.

And do not let Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu bully us into another war to protect Israel’s impunity for war crimes and its substantial nuclear weapons. It’s time to respect thousands of Israelis who want their country to honor human rights, resist war and make peace with Iran.

Rusty Nelson

Rockford