A letter from Glenwood Boatman

To the Editor,

I applaud the Independent Collegian for the editorial on the Iraq War “How We Were Fooled into this War” (Sept. 2). It is well to point out how Bush and his administration lied and manufactured false evidence and led an ignorant Congress into War. However, we must not forget the shame of the professors and students for not rising up against this war as they did against the Vietnam War fifty years ago. Would the students have protested if subjected to the draft? More likely it is because the structures of Universities have changed from being institutions of learning to simply being costly diploma mills.

Shame on the entire U.S. populace, except for the few vigil protestors, for not protesting a war that spent billions more than the Vietnam War. Evidently the country maintained more honesty, truthfulness and courage in the 1960’s. Evidently the country has lost those attributes in the first decade of the 21st century.

The war goes on in Afghanistan with no possibility of success as history has shown, with both British and Soviet attempts at nation building resulting in failure in the last century. Modern weapons won’t succeed against cultural issues. Unfortunately for Obama he is simply carrying out a face saving campaign which will be a costly failure in the end.

Glenwood Boatman 60 Plus Student

Anthropology

Graduate of College of Education

Also

Vietnam War Draft Resister and

Anti-War Protest Organizer