To the editor:

You want proof the anti-war crowd supports our troops? I’m a Vet for Peace who’s been part of the movement against the Iraq war since before it began, and yet, I oppose the fact that soldiers are being tried for abusing Iraqis.

Here’s my rationale: The troops did not decide to go to Iraq. No, they were ordered to go there, and just like every other war, there are always abuses committed by soldiers because they are put into a situation that causes heavy stress, and that environment shapes their behavior. An abnormal reaction to an abnormal scene is absolutely normal. Thus, you have Abu Ghraib, Gitmo and the recent case of 11 soldiers being accused of abuses against insurgents.

The fact that the troops themselves are being punished for reacting just as any of us might if we were in that situation reveals the power of Bush’s manipulation of the public. Think about it. Bush has actually convinced people to condemn troops he ordered into battle and he commands (Remember? He’s the commander in chief). The troops are just like you and me, Lawrence citizens, but Bush and the politicians who pushed our troops into fighting this war for them are not like us. They care nothing for the troops. They care nothing for the Iraqis. They care nothing for America. They care about themselves. That is un-American.

Chris White,

Lawrence