[CPEO-MEF] Out of step

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

The following editorial is in response to another editorial titled "Out
of Step", originally published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on May 13,
2003
(http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/tue/opinion/news_mz1ed13top.html).

This letter, as well as several other responses to "Out of Step," can be
viewed online at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/sat/opinion/news_mz1e17morele.html
____________________________________________________

California
THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
EDITORIAL
May 17, 2003

Your editorial stance – that the Department of Defense doesn't need a
general waiver from environmental laws – is a step in the right
direction, but it doesn't go far enough. The statement that "if national
security were threatened – then the military would have a good case for
exemption," postulates that "national security," whatever that is, is
more important than the land, water and air in which we live. I do not
agree.

I think that if the military cannot protect us from the devastation of
our natural resources, then it has failed to defend our national
security. The "common" in "common defense" is our environment. Any time
the Department of Defense declares it needs an environmental waiver, it
has declared itself impotent to provide for our national security.

JIM RICKER

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/sat/opinion/news_mz1e17morele.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~