THE EDITOR, Sir:
WITH ANGER and sadness, I read Melville Cooke's comment, "A long, hot summer in Iraq".
Whether one agrees with war (of any kind) or not, it is certainly inappropriate to wish death upon anyone as Mr. Cooke suggests in expressing his "disappointment in the quality of the hand grenades that the Iraqis are using".
How can anyone of right mind be asking, "How come these new-fangled types [of grenades] do not seem able to take out more than two or three [soldiers] per pop?"
Sir, these soldiers to be "taken out" are our sons and daughters!
We, as family members of Jamaican-American soldiers, not only pray that our loved ones return home safe and sound, we also pray that no Iraqis be killed or hurt anymore.
As strange as it may seem to Mr. Cooke, none of the soldiers wants to go to war. However, they will do so when their chain of command gives orders to deploy. They neither like to kill, nor be killed.
Furthermore, many soldiers (our children!) go through a great deal of emotional pain while doing what they must.
It is more than disrespectful, rather, it is disgusting, that a so-called journalist in your publication seems to take personal pride in writing Rambo-style death wishes upon what he seems to have identified as the "evil party".
If he has courage, he should come to one of our meetings. He may then tell those among our sons, who have returned from duty, about his fantasy of Iraqi grenades killing the buddies they left behind...
The tragedy of war is hurtful to ALL involved, on whatever side they may stand; but unlike Mr. Cooke, they certainly would never "wish for a long war".
I am, etc.
ANNE ARTHUR
Family Support Group
of Jamaican Families
of Soldiers in Iraq
8 South Avenue
Kingston
