As a veteran of World War II, I am appalled at how rapidly we continue to commit our troops in wars we cannot win. The recent example (and there’s more in the past) is sending military trainers with equipment to Iraq and Syria to counter the increased insurgency of the Islamic State in that country and Syria.
With little understanding of the historical background of local religious and tribal influences, we choose to make light of these significant influences.
The Ottoman Empire (Islam) ruled these countries for 600 years, which led to the Great Crusades of the Middle Ages. The Islamic State hopes for a new modern Muslim world with its radical ideology by turning the clock back to the days of a caliphate.
So far 4,500 have lost their lives in the Middle East. We have been blessed with an abundance of natural resources and dedicated young men and women. Let’s not waste either nor both on unwinnable wars.
Melvin Thayne
Salt Lake City