LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Armed Forces Day a success

On behalf of the Cottage Grove Armed Forces Day 2005 Committee, I'd like to express appreciation to all of Cottage Grove and the surrounding area for helping us to make our first Armed Forces Day celebration a phenomenal success. The parade of supportive individuals and organizations and the flyover of military jet fighters were exciting.

The ceremony honoring the returning soldiers of our own 2nd Battalion 162nd Infantry of the Oregon Army National Guard from duty in Iraq was stimulating and emotional. The theme for our festivities, `Serving America,' was truly fitting for the occasion.

Such an event can't be produced without the help of many individuals and organizations. But it took a leader to make it all happen. Our leader was Ort Dross, commander of American Legion Post No. 32 in Cottage Grove. It was Ort's inspired idea to hold the celebration and he followed through on just about every detail imaginable.

His singular accomplishments and work ethic made it possible for our "All American Community" to honor our troops in a most professional and distinguished way. We appreciate Ort for his leadership, his inspiration, his direction and his caring.

HANK HABENICK

Cottage Grove

Remember cruel truth of war

Sherry Larson (letters, May 5) tells us that the United States invaded Iraq `because of what terrorists did to us on Sept. 11, 2001' and angrily accuses Greg Hume of mocking the military by posting a `Killed in Action' running tally in his car's rear window.

Hume's April 26 letter questioned the easy patriotism displayed by yellow-ribbon and support-our-troops stickers. I find no mockery in his doing so. His accurately updated reminders of this war's true costs honor those whose young lives have paid for this dubious military misadventure. Better the cruel truth than comfortable, conventional platitudes.

I share concern for Larson's son serving in Iraq. Her anger, however, is misdirected, and her version of Sept. 11 inaccurate.

Perhaps she should be angry at Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's insulting use of a machine to sign letters of condolence to families of soldiers killed in action. Or at the administration policy forbidding photographs of flag-covered caskets flown nightly into Dover Air Force Base. Or at the blatant lies used to support the warmongering, pre-emptive strike policies that have endangered her son.

Neoconservative extremists surrounding President Bush planned to invade Iraq for oil and for permanent military bases well before he was elected. The horrors of Sept. 11 provided the convenient pretext.

Truth is the first casualty of any war. Given the most secretive, misleading, and dishonest administration in our nation's history, this saying has never been so accurate. That's real cause for anger.

JEROME GARGER

Yachats

Civilians suffer most in war

President John Kennedy once said, "People have not been horrified by war to a sufficient extent. ... War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige as the warrior does today."

What kind of questions could our youth ask while viewing the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial at South Eugene High School? As they mourn the loss of the 10 alumni, will they recall entire Vietnamese villages that were wiped out?

Will they ask themselves if there is any degree of difference between our suffering and that of the Vietnamese?

Will they ask a Vietnamese student or family how they feel about this tribute, this memorial?

Will they ask themselves if Iraq is any different? Will they ask themselves uncomfortable questions about the civilian death rate in Iraq? Will they ask themselves about Israel's U.S.-financed holocaust against the Palestinian people?

Will they ask themselves, "Is there another way besides violence to resolve conflict?"

I hope the students and faculty of South Eugene High School consider balancing the attention given to this war memorial by installing a Civilian War Memorial on the campus. Incorporate a peace studies curriculum as a viable alternative to militarism.

Show the six-film series "A Force More Powerful." Study the teachings of Mohandas Gandhi. Give guidance and respect to those students who are conscientious objectors.

Let us all ask ourselves who the real heroes are and give them equal honor.

MARIAH LEUNG

Eugene

U.S. is aggressor in Iraq war

On this Memorial Day, I think of my father and the many thousands of American soldiers who fought along with him in World War II, trying to stop the aggression of Germany and Japan.

At the same time, I think of our sons and daughters who are bravely fighting for our country in the Middle East. Only this time, instead of sending them to stop the aggressor, our country has sent them to be the ag- gressor!

What pride will those who survive have in telling their children how they were sent to invade a country that posed us no threat, after it had disarmed and made itself vulnerable, based on false claims by our leaders?

WARD RICKER

Eugene

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