Letter to the Editor: Our top brass have never touched grass
Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, April 1, 2026
“The best way to end a war is to not start one.” – somebody’s proverb
When a Marine forward observer or infantry leader speaks into a microphone, gives his callsign and says “call for fire” followed by what I call codeword gibberish that would guide jets, attack helicopters and artillery on to targets; I always understood the enormous responsibility behind the words spoken. If a mistake is made, the ordnance could land on the Marines on the ground. I am a Marine Corps veteran who only had to utter these lines during training exercises. I still shudder when I think about the many potential negative consequences if I were to mess up.
Why does the United States call it aggression when others attack us, but an “excursion” when America attacks other countries? From the Vietnam War to the Iraq War -where 4,419 Americans were killed and nearly 32,000 wounded -presidents have repeatedly justified interventions that later proved disastrous.
Will someone please tell Frump that an excursion is when vacationers get off cruise ships in port to see the sights.
On the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Iraq invasion, reporters from The New York Times revisited veterans they had embedded with in Baghdad. Many of these veterans wanted to have beer with “W” and to ask him “What was the purpose of the war?” One soldier filmed in 2003 was proudly discussing his having earned the Army’s prestigious Combat Infantry Badge. He thought the badge was “cool.” Unfortunately, he did not live to see the 20th anniversary. He survived Iraq, arrived home and later took his own life. Why?
Hegseth, lacking wisdom, sounds like a bloodthirsty adolescent with his braggadocio while speaking flippantly and bombastically in front of the TV cameras. It’s easy to do if you have never experienced combat.
Trump took advantage of his privilege and managed to dishonestly receive five deferments. Overweening Hegseth was a National Guard soldier who never fired his weapon while performing support roles during the Iraqi war. Their children haven’t or will never wear the uniform.
Trump’s unique evil, cruelty, doltish, uncouth behaviors and utterances surrounding combat deaths of service-members continues to be sickening and pathetic. Trump showed contempt towards and was dismissive of the Gold Star Khan parents when they spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Trump didn’t know the reason for placing a wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial. He called WWI American war dead “suckers and losers.” Trump wore a ball cap during a recent dignified transfer of remains. He doesn’t care or contemplate the risk of loss of American lives because this narcissist will ignorantly tell you, “that’s what they signed up for,” and
“That’s the way it is.” It’s obvious Trump lacks empathy, self-awareness and will continue to never consider the consequences of his reckless, pathological, illegal and irresponsible actions.
Trump and Hegseth called for war but never had to call for a fire mission. How many more will die needlessly because of Trump’s messing up?
Stanley McKie
Enumclaw
