Letter: Making war

Editor, Daily News:

I find it appalling to have our current president compare himself with Harry Truman.

President Bush, in his remarks to the U.S. Military Academy graduates, defended his doctrine of pre-emptive strikes against our enemies. How different our world would be now if Presidents Truman, Eisenhower or Kennedy — or any other president during the Cold War period — took it upon themselves to wage a pre-emptive attack against the Soviet Union, with the ensuing nuclear war that surely would have followed?

His "shoot first, ask questions later" sounded tough to the cadets, but in reality it was highly irresponsible. You cannot bomb the Middle East, or any other area, into compliance.

In World War II we had the upper hand, the full support of the Allies and a nation fully behind us. In other conflicts since then, we have not enjoyed the same level of support. Today, we will only win when we gain the respect of the other nations on which we share this Earth.

Military force should always be available, but only used as a last resort. Once you set out on the military path, the outcome sometimes is not what you want or expect. Peace may not be "cool," but it usually comes after hard work and gaining the respect of other countries.

One thing's for sure: President Bush will never be called the prince of peace.

— Bob Elwell / Naples