I am responding to comments made by Michael Clarfeld in the Nov. 13 edition of The Chronicle on the military deployment to Zaire. Michael, if you are a veteran, reservist, ROTC student or a National Guardsman, please ignore my remarks. I have a problem with people volunteering U.S. servicemen to be sent into harm's way without a clear mission and mandate of the people.
You state that the potential loss of life is small to U.S. troops, but what if it were your son or daughter? What if it were your brother or sister? What if it were you? Don't get me wrong, I think it would be noble and honorable to participate in this mission with Canada. While we sit here in our Gothic Wonderland calling for troops to be sent to some hell hole, the mission will be carried out by some farm kid from Godeebo, Okla. who joined the Army so he could go to college. Michael, would you be willing to leave school to go to Zaire?
I'm an Army reservist, and if my unit were called, I'd go willingly, but I don't want to see another dead American soldier being dragged through the streets like they were in Somalia. Think about it. Oh yes, one more thing. Thanks Josh Garroway for thinking about us on Veteran's Day.
Michael Frazier
Medical Center employee
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