Florida Joins Operation Yellow Elephant

A Letter to the Editor of the Miami Herald:

Don't Take Volunteer Soldiers for Granted

When I told a friend that my grandson was being sent to Afghanistan after having served two tours in Iraq, the response was tantamount to: "Well, what did he expect? He volunteered to join the service." I was shocked by the answer, which might be indicative of the more serious problems Americans face.

At one time, we had a thing called "patriotism" in this country. Where has it gone? A wealthy and unthinking population finds it easy to agree with those in power who started this war. But they also seem to think that only volunteers should fight it. Otherwise, why aren't more of these observers signing up to go fight? Where is their patriotism?

[ . . . ]

I wonder if troops ever wonder why they are not backed up with more patriots joining the military instead of just spewing patriotic words. Actions speak louder than words, but it's easier to just let the volunteer troops fight.

Maybe we need a draft in order to keep from further recycling our troops or until this unnecessary war has ended. I suspect that the ones in favor of this war would allow that, though. It's easier to just sit back, praise the government's handling of the war and let the troops fight it. After all, they did volunteer, didn't they?

MOGI KINSEY-O'NEIL Key Largo [FL]

[Emphasis added.]