To the editor:

The recent government release of the CIA document has made it clear that “we” are at war. The only question is who is at war with whom. Seems to me, based on this partisan developed document on the CIA, the POTUS is at war with America. He has, in essence, thrown our entire security network under the bus. It appears he obviously doesn’t value the lives of those who have the most to lose by his actions, us Americans and our international partners. I find it inconceivable that the POTUS would allow political motives to usurp the safety of his citizens. All I can say is that any lives lost by his actions will be blood on his hands. And to all those people who voted for him two times, I hope you realize that you assume some responsibility for his actions.

I find it difficult to understand the POTUS’s rationale for believing that the killing a single enemy combatant via a drone, with all of the collateral damage to innocent women and children, is less of a “crime” than using interrogation techniques on a single terrorist with no collateral damage. Let’s face it, war is a nasty situation. And, when you’re at war with a ruthless adversary who doesn’t play by the rules (e.g. the Geneva Convention) then you are forced to play by his rules or else. Based on that scenario, I agree with the POTUS’s drone action. However, based on his hypercritical characterization of the CIA’s interrogation program he weakens the justification for his own actions, and appears to be somewhat of a hypocrite.

Let’s face it, was a previous President’s action to release atomic bombs on Japan during World War II in an effort to save thousands of American lives any worse than our recent CIA interrogation techniques? Even with all the collateral damage from radiation to thousands of civilians who suffered years of excruciating pain, I don’t think so. WW II was a brutal war with a ruthless enemy. To win, you do what you have to do.

Now for the real war we should be fighting, the one against Muslim terrorists. Does the POTUS realize he is aiding and abetting our enemy by giving them even more of a reason to hate us and help recruit more Muslim crazies with the release of this document. I sometimes wonder just whose side the POTUS is really on, especially based on his reluctance to call the Fort Hood murders a terrorist action when it was done by a Muslim, plus other related terrorist actions concerning Muslims.

I still have faith in America but I’m very disappointed in our current leadership. I just hope the damage done by these recent setbacks will not deter the next POTUS from taking the necessary steps to reinstate programs to protect us in the future.

Karl Kachadoorian
Tryon