This letter is in response to Joshua Montgomery’s note of 15 September.

Mr. Montgomery makes some good points, but I do not believe he has truly thought out the situation. As a member of the Army National Guard for 11 years, I see things a little differently. [Please note that my views are not necessarily the views of the Iowa National Guard, the United States Army, or my current employer, as I am not a spokesman.]

He first states that if we were to follow the rationale that the use of violence can lead to peace that we should “nuke” Serbia, because Eisenhower wanted to do that to Korea.

There are many forms and levels of violence that can be applied, and to quickly jump to the ultimate extreme of nuclear weapons is going way too far. Probably the lowest level of violence (and the safest) that can be applied is the course of action being taken of firing cruise missiles at military targets.

That course of action also seems to be working, as the Serbs are at the negotiating table ready to talk.

Small steps do work, just as if I want you to do something, I can either twist your arm or I can beat the crap out of you. What would you rather have done? Which is the more humane thing?

He reminds us of Vietnam, and ask if we haven’t learned our lesson.

Well, let’s ask what lesson we should have learned. Is it to stay out of another country’s affairs? Or is it that we must have a clear mission and purpose for every action we as a nation take, and, most importantly, have the political will to back that up.

The UN forces currently in Bosnia do not have a clear mission and purpose, and their commander has made a lot of noise about that, with good reason. As an Infantry officer, I know that my soldiers can do wonders with clear mission and purpose, and problems only arise when they don’t. History has shown the same is true with American troops.

You may ask, “Who made us the policeman?” I’d answer no one has. But just as order is kept on a local level with our police enforcing what

society has determined to be a valid set rules for living, there must be someone on a global level to do the same.

No country is in as good of a position as the United States to do that, and I feel it is in our best interests to be the global policeman, but only with working closely with the United Nations.

Mr. Montgomery then reminds us that Sarajevo was the place where

the event occurred that started World War I. I answer, “So what?” Mr. Montgomery seemingly fails to realize that there will always be people who aggress, whether it be for religious (as in Bosnia), political (as in

Vietnam), financial (as in Iraq) or whatever, there must be someone who is willing to stop them.

Next Mr. Montgomery reiterates what Bob Dole has said about Clinton’s policy being too little too late. Well, I’m no fan of President Clinton, either, but our president, no matter who it is, won’t normally enter a conflict like this without approval of the UN. He also won’t commit great numbers of soldiers without consent of Congress or the UN. He’ll try to use diplomatic means before physical means to end the conflict. Hmm, maybe we have learned a lesson from Vietnam.

Also, Mr. Montgomery, if it is too little, too late, then what would you have proposed we do in the first place? Anticipate that the Serbs would become aggressors and stop them before the fact? I didn’t know we were mind readers. What else could have been done? Diplomatic missions? They were tried. Send UN troops in and attempt to establish peace? Hasn’t worked so far. What would you do? President Clinton may never have served in the military, but like it or not, he has been elected by the people to be Commander-in-Chief, and in that role has the authority to commit troops.

You also state, Mr. Montgomery, that you don’t want to lose any American troops on foreign soil. If you feel President Clinton does not have the right to commit soldiers because he has never served, what right do you have to not want to commit soldiers?

I am an American soldier.

I have sworn an oath to serve the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, just has everyone else who has ever worn a military uniform has done. We are willing to give our lives to protect the ideas and ideals of freedom and democracy worldwide. I believe freedom for everyone is worth protecting, don’t you?

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Rick Langel is a 1992 graduate of Iowa State University.