Not my children.

I am writing in regard to William Norman Grigg's short article, "Not With MY Children" (December 15 issue).

I was never an enthusiastic supporter of our going into Iraq. It always seemed unlikely to me that we were going there "to fight terrorism" when we steadfastly refused to even consider patrolling our own borders. Also, I am a great admirer of Mr. Grigg. My son attended a John Birch Society summer camp several years ago and was deeply affected by Mr. Grigg's character and words.

I was not, however, favorably impressed with the above-mentioned article. It seemed to me to be largely an emotional appeal. Two thirds of the piece was comprised of stories about personal tragedies experienced by our military personnel. Despite the evident fact that these are deeply lamentable stories, I need to ask, "who really is responsible for them?" No one forces "fragile little girls" to join the military; no one forces both parents to join the military; no one forces single mothers to join the military. We do not currently have a draft in this country.

Despite my disagreement with Mr. Grigg's emphasis on emotional appeal and his total lack of pointing out the individual responsibility for voluntarily joining the military, I do not believe that President Bush, Vice President Cheney and company are by any means exonerated in their culpability for the deaths and sufferings of those serving in Iraq. I also heartily agree with Mr. Grigg's last statement, "My children were not born to become mortar fodder or guerrilla bait on behalf of the UN and the Power Elite it serves."

Ironically, I particularly liked your December 15 issue and ordered extra copies to give to my friends and acquaintances.

JANICE DIETRICH

Clinton, Mississippi 

I read your very truthful article on women in combat, entitled "Not With My Children." During World War II, I was an anti-tank gun crewman and served under one of the greatest military commanders in history, General George Patton Jr. He knew how to win a war, something today's military leaders don't know how to do. The situation of Jessica Lynch and other women in Iraq is a complete and total disgrace. There were no women in the Third Army. Nurses, the only women who should have been there, were behind the lines.

I was under the impression that women were not allowed in armored units. But this is evidently no longer true, since I saw a woman wearing a 1st Armored Division patch.

These women are stuffed into men's uniforms and told they are soldiers, which they are not and never will be. As I have said many times, only craven cowards send women into combat zones. Every time we see a unit going to Iraq or returning there are pictures of women in uniform. Even women with small children are being sent to Iraq. This is not how wars are won. War is cruel, brutal, bloody and downright dirty.

Your statement about our cheerleaders who send mothers and others into combat was right on the mark. I doubt if any so-called leaders in Washington will listen. They are too cowardly.

AMZI B. SANBORN

Yantic, Connecticut