Clear mission, exit strategy needed in war

As I experienced the 234th birthday of my beloved Marine Corps on the 10th and reflected on the 91st anniversary of the World War I armistice on the 11th, I was reminded again of the sacrifices of my men and my buddies who adorn the Wall in D.C. and dot the slopes of Arlington Cemetery with their hallowed graves. They answered freedom's call and in the end died defending a failed policy.

I appreciate greatly President Barack Obama's reluctance to boldly rushing in 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan before Department of Defense has fully thought out its strategy for defeating al-Qaida and most importantly defining our exit strategy.

I am still driven to distraction by the false courage of the cowardly neo-cons who are very brave with the blood of other people's sons and daughters but who themselves did everything possible to stay out of harm's way.

Dick Cheney made his major life decisions in the 1960s and 1970s rushing to qualify for one deferment after another to keep from being drafted and sent to Vietnam. George Bush deserted his Air Guard fighter squadron when it looked like it might be mobilized to go to Vietnam.

Let's make sure we don't send America's youths into combat again without a clear mission for defending America's vital interests, without the full backing of the will of the people and without a clear and workable exit strategy for victory.

We met none of these requirements in Vietnam and as of yet we have not met any of these in Afghanistan either.

Col. William

Peterson

USMC, retired

North Liberty