In a Dec. 5 letter, “Attend to consequences of war,” Mary A. Gunther seems to have missed the point of my article, “Overextended military needs reinforcements” published earlier. It is not the military, but rather our civilian leadership who decide where and for what purpose our military is to be used, be it fighting forest fires, aiding with the Ebola epidemic, assisting with disaster relief, or engaging in war. As such, in each case, it is our civilian leadership who has to weigh the risks and benefits of doing so.
I was simply pointing out that our civilian leadership has overcommitted our military resources, and in addition to the cost in dollars that we all share, it is our service members and their families who pay the ultimate price. If our leaders believe we must continue to do all the things they ask of the military, something Gunther questions, and I as well, then they must step up to the plate and adequately size the force to accomplish those missions with the least risk.
Les Burger
Vancouver
