Those who haven't been in combat unqualified to make war policy

To the Editor:

This letter is in response to the letter submitted by Mr./Ms. R. Corey Foreman entitled "Senior chief's statements an insult to men, women in uniform" posted Oct. 4, 2006.

I believe you said it all in your first sentence: "I have not been in combat; I have not experienced the horrors of war."

Hence, you are as unqualified as our politicians to make policy on how a war should be conducted. You do not have the responsibility to complete the mission and ensure your personnel are safe. What you do have is the right to voice your opinion, thanks to the men and women of the armed forces, of which you speak for so freely.

If you choose to form your unqualified opinions on what you have viewed in a Hollywood production or what the media presents, that is your choice. However, if you would research the true history of the wars by speaking to the veterans who served, you may form a very different opinion of what may be necessary in a combat situation.

Finally, it is not a surprise to me that a non-combatant could have such an opinion. I did not notice letters sent from veterans claiming they were insulted. Moreover, my letter was well accepted by many veterans. Our armed forces in Iraq are fighting a war with too many rules. These rules are formed by opinions such as yours. As a result, we are loosing many more Americans than necessary. Leave the rules of war to the combatants and concern yourself with supporting the troops rather than hindering them.

Senior Chief John Barone

US Navy (Ret.)