Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Letter: Letter trivialized soldiers’ bravery

I am responding to the letter by Ken Lucas that you published on Feb. 22. Headlined "War is well worth continuing effort," Lucas criticized Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., for demanding that President Bush develop an exit strategy for Iraq, and made the point that we simply need to stay there until the job is done. He ended by saying, "Finally, not to diminish in any way the sacrifices being made by our troops, but more people are killed on motorcycles every year than the number of brave soldiers who have died freeing two countries from brutal, terrorist dictatorships."

The last thing this World War II veteran needs to read is Lucas' trivial comparison of motorcycle casualties to combat soldiers being killed in Iraq. Fifteen of my schoolmates were killed in World War II and I still mourn for them.

Having ridden motorcycles for years, I find no comparison with the horrific stress of military combat. Think about the thousands of shell-shocked amputees who were not given proper body protection and now overload our VA hospitals beyond capacity.

NORB DROUHARD

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