Two Sides to the Coin

[Regarding the "Backtalk" editor's reply to M.P.'s letter of September 4, "Kurdish Terrorists Need to Be Wiped Out":]

Some day, when the U.S. military declassifies some of its national security information, you'll realize there are two sides to the coin. You'll see how the Armenians and Greeks support the Kurds in having them do their "dirty work." You'll see how the Turks look for the "red" in their eyes during night time combat, to to aim their bullets for the center of their heads – in retaliation for the Kurds killing their women and children.

Currently, the Turks are getting harassed because they are the largest military force in NATO, and the West is wondering why they are "picking on" the poor Kurds. But what the West does not realize and is not educated on, is all of the atrocities the Kurds have been laying on the Turkish populace in SE Turkey.

~ M.P., US Military Retired, Special Forces, Three Years Combat Service Time/21, Desert Storm, Bosnia

The "Backtalk" editor replies:

There are two sides to most coins, and conflicts, but in this case there are at least three sides – massive US Government gifts to Turkey's military creating another side. We look forward to the day when the security of the United States is no longer threatened by information about Kurdish attacks – and such information can be declassified. In the meantime, Antiwar.com will continue to advocate US Government neutrality and noninterference.

---

Fair Forum

[Regarding the "Backtalk" editor's reply to M.A.'s letter of September 3, "Parties":]

Please let your readers know that while I disagree with much of what you say, you do offer a fair and balanced forum. ...You printed exactly what I wrote. No editing other than grammatical, no omissions. I cannot say this about the print media. Thanks for not manipulating the dialogue.

By the way, what is your position on the 2nd Amendment?

~ 2nd Lt. M.A., 1st div, 3rd Amrd Batl'n

The "Backtalk" editor replies:

While it's true that we don't edit letters to "manipulate the dialog" (win arguments), we do edit letters, more often than not.

As for the 2nd Amendment, Antiwar.com does support the right to self-defense and we do want the United States Government to obey the Constitution, however our primary focus is on the US Government's actions internationally.

---

Special Relationship

Bush Jr. was elected on the firm promise to withdraw from the Balkans, and Secretary Rumsfeld is downsizing the amount of US Army manpower in Europe to the anguished whimpers from "anxious allies." The Bush Jr. administration is being denounced for "unilateralism" and "isolationism" by leftist Brits who only recently were calling the US the center of capitalist, imperialist, racist, aggression.

Whether it is World War I, World War II, the Falklands, or even Mrs. Thatcher telling Bush Sr. "not to go wobbly on this," referring to the Gulf War, the entire history of the 20th century is the successful attempt of Whitehall to drag their dull-witted US cousins into a military adventure for the benefit of British aims: first imperial, now moralistic.

...The fault for all of the endless military adventures is not on this side of the Atlantic, it is in the British character. It compels them to be busybodies and to boss others about. I ... would like to end the "special relationship" and see Anglo-American diplomatic relations become more distant.

~ Mr. J. Prade