REPORTERS VS. PENTAGON

Arnett believes that “the extremely incomplete and limited picture of the (Gulf) war made it difficult for the public to assess whether to support the war.”

Incomplete? Limited? We were inundated! Was it possible that a story, a perspective slipped by unreported? Sure. So? The inference appears unwarrantedly venal.

Although saturated with every conceivable picture, perspective and media reporting, it was wrong-headed public input that forced our military to fight a stupidly protracted war in Vietnam without the proper civilian support and sophisticated technology that could have concluded that war within a year (according to assessments by Sen. Barry Goldwater).

That we triumphed (in the Gulf) without victory and did not remove Saddam Hussein is directly attributable to “public” howls, the presumed rationale being that somebody (else) would get hurt. Of course, leaving a miserable tyrant to continue his despotic reign doesn’t hurt? Right?

ELLEN CLARK

PASADENA