I am writing to express my anger and frustration about the brave U.S. troops that continue to be forced into harm’s way for absolutely no good reason.

I am 53 years old, and I clearly remember the very many protests during the Vietnam War. There were literally millions of people that had grown to detest this slaughter of humans on both sides of this war. I am not angry at the U.S. troops that fought in this war, but then, as now, I am angry and frustrated by the ignorance that pervades Washington, D.C., to continue, yet again, to put U.S. troops in harm’s way for absolutely nothing.

The Vietnam War was fought to keep South Vietnam free from communism. Here, again, U.S. troops were called upon to shoulder the overwhelming danger of doing the fighting and dying. My memory is that the Vietnam troops may as well have not even existed. After years and years of bloody loss, the communists took South Vietnam anyway. Again, what good was accomplished by so much loss by U.S. troops and their families?

Now, we have the asinine quagmire of Iraq and Afghanistan. The government of Afghanistan, if you can call it that, has even asked the U.S. to leave. Why, in the name of humanity, can’t our government see how insulting these ungrateful warring people are to U.S. troops and our country? The “friendlies” killing U.S. troops answers this question.

— Tim Bledsoe, North Augusta, S.C.