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Letter: Combat experience no prerequisite for office

Wednesday, June 21, 2006 | 7:14 a.m.

In a June 19 letter to the editor, Robert Gladd referred to George Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and others as "vile cowards." My, whatever happened to civility in public discourse?

His point, and admittedly this is a guess, is that those with no military/combat experience should not be in charge of the armed forces.

As an aside, using his own logic, if Mr. Gladd has not held public office, he has no right to criticize those who do.

But assuming he is correct, how does he explain former presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson? Both had copious military experience. Yet they are hugely responsible for the 58,000 deaths and 350,000 casualties incurred by the United States in the debacle known as the Vietnam War.

Mr. Gladd also makes mention of the 2,500 military killed in Iraq over the past three years. Sad? Of course. But last year alone 17,000 people were murdered here in the United States. Who weeps for them?

Ken Lucas, Las Vegas

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