June 6, 2006, Boston Globe letters to the Editor

DERRICK JACKSON'S June 3 op-ed, "Vietnam revisited," and most other stories about the alleged atrocities in November in Haditha, Iraq, come to the wrong conclusion. Atrocities in Iraq are not happening because this is a guerrilla war or a war like Vietnam; they are happening because of the nature of war. War is the problem.

As someone still haunted by my experience in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago, I know what war does to people. I gave up my feelings and rational thoughts in order to survive, but that comes at a steep price. Survival depends upon using your instincts, and you can't turn ethical standards and values back on when they are needed. It is not like flipping a switch. All the work being done now with the Marines getting retrained in their moral code of conduct will disappear when the bombs go off and the bullets start flying.

I urge everyone to work to end this war. Bring the troops home. Instead of squandering our resources on war, let us use them to rebuild the lives of everyone affected.

MARK ALSTON-FOLLANSBEE
Concord