US must not sink to level of terrorists

The Sept. 22 letter, “Death penalty unfair for soldiers,” suggested that American military personnel are held to an unfairly high standard in observing rules of engagement. The writer complained about Iraqis who “have no qualms about strapping bombs on themselves and blowing up public places, thereby killing innocent people.” She then suggested that Washington “let our guys play by the same rules as the Iraqis.” Really? Leaving aside the difficulty of finding American volunteers for suicide missions, one is forced to wonder which of our policy objectives in Iraq (pick one — the president churns out revised ones regularly) will be served by American soldiers adopting terrorist tactics. I do agree, however, that the four soldiers accused of killings near Samarra should not face the death penalty. Just as the death penalty coarsens society by pasting a fig leaf of legality on what amounts to murder, so this woman's ill-advised suggestions would destroy our already tattered claim to any moral high ground in Iraq. Terrorism is terrorism; murder is murder. Let's not indulge in either. John Higbee, Smithville - Published in the Atlantic City Press, October 2, 2006