A letter from the editor

0 Comments | Insight on the News, June 21, 1999 | by Paul M. Rodriguez

Dear Readers,

Now we know: U.S. and foreign military brass warned NATO politicos that the use of ground forces must accompany any air campaign and that such manpower would be required in huge numbers not only to ensure a win but to assure peace.

What brings this to mind is a dinner the other night at which intelligence officials spoke of the importance of integrity. Conversation involved an alliance (NATO) and a nation (the United States). To have integrity there must be underlying principles of truthfulness and honesty. To wit, what you say in fact must be what you mean. In turn, to sell security policy to the men and women who must pay with their tax dollars and lives requires that they believe their leaders, which is why we must elect leaders who can be believed both by allies and enemies.

Enter the hackneyed but well-established principle of character. Would any doubt former Joint Chiefs chairman Colin Powell if he advocated a war policy and said what was needed to win? How about Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher or Winston Churchill? When they spoke we listened and nations followed because there was no doubt about the honesty of the policy, the leader or the character of the people led.

Now consider Bill Clinton and, to a lesser extent, Tony Blair. Honestly, do you believe what they say about their objectives concerning the conflict over Kosovo -- let alone (particularly when it comes to Clinton) about anything else? Let's see, it has been more than two months now since the bombings started, and every day we get a new story about why we're there and what we're doing.

In the end, free people are judged by the character of leaders they elect and support. Duty, honor, country are more than words. They reflect American values that reject the notion that every end justifies any means. Even in war, integrity matters.

Until next week then, God bless.