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[Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

At 9/30/2004, you wrote:
> Most were in Viet Nam for a multitude of reasons; most likely thought 
> their own opinions were right (although I have known quite a few who had 
> no idea what their opinion was),

This was my case.  I was in the Navy to escape a drunken father on a failed 
dirt farm and because I could not afford college.  I enlisted in May of 
1964 and spent two cruises over there.  Between the cruises I looked into 
the matter and decided that it was the wrong policy.  I completed my tour 
but only because of some misguided sense of responsibility.  As soon as I 
got out I expressed my opinion and continue to do so.  That was a misguided 
attempt for France under De Gaul to retain its colonies and developed into 
a misguided opportunity for politicians and the military to prove it was 
not soft on communism.

The war on Iraq is also a very misguided mistake for the US to throw its 
might around in a world where no one is big enough to really oppose 
it.  That opposition comes in the only form it has any hope of succeeding 
in and that is terrorism.  I was against the war in the beginning and still 
against it even more as our casualty count goes over 10,000.  I cannot 
bring my self to vote for Kerry even as much as I so totally dislike the 
dummy & co.  He is more of the same wrapped in a slightly more humanitarian 
package.

Iraq was a mistake, is a mistake, and always will be a mistake and will not 
bring on the much desired Pax Americana.


Don Bowen
Awl Knotted Up Woodworking
Valley Center, CA             http://www.braingarage.com