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Sacrifices have been in vain

Thu., May 28, 2015

Martin Schram ends his May 22 column on Iraq with the question, “Have America’s sacrifices been in vain?” The hard answer, as with the Vietnam War, is yes. Not solely due to the bug out and pull out, but a number of poor decisions and judgments.

Politicians during the buildup to both wars ignored key realities in order to pursue war and, ultimately, murder American troops and citizens of the countries with which we were at war. Collateral damage, indeed. The term could be used to describe the consequences of both wars on the American public’s psyche and its collective overall distrust of politicians and the never-ending renewed cry to battle.

Steve Lacombe

Spokane Valley

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