Letter: Wonder who cares about the soldiers’ lives

Sunday, May 20, 2007 | 6:57 a.m.

O n Mother's Day I read and fully agreed with the letters "War money could've been better spent" and "Veterans deserve better treatment." I strongly agree that we should not have engaged in an elective war based on false rationalizations. I also recognize the poor and shameless treatment of our veterans, all of whom paid the highest price so that we can enjoy freedom.

This also makes me ponder about the incompetence, greed and special interests of the Bush administration in the failed prosecution of the war and how the resulting monies lost could have been used to meet the significant needs of this country, including increased veterans benefits and increased scientific technology to eradicate different diseases.

This incompetence and greed were spelled out in Rajiv Chandrasekaran's "Imperial Life in the Emerald City" as follows:

In Billy Rose's poem, "The Unknown Soldier," he writes "... I wonder if the profiteers have satisfied their greed? I wonder if a soldier's mother ever is in need? I wonder if the kings who planned it all are really satisfied? They play their game of checkers and eleven million died."

An elective war based on false rationalizations, war profiteering and the cost of precious human life. Things to ponder on Mother's Day and every other day.

Tom Harper, Henderson