Controversy Over Troops in Somalia

* There has been much discussion recently about our role in Somalia. Many insist that the Somalia situation is not our problem and that this area does not affect our national security. The country is full of weapons and a violent place split between warlords.

For the past decade and a half, it was U.S. policy to funnel millions of dollars of military hardware into Somalia and Ethiopia (among other areas) to woo support from the leaders from Soviet influence, who of course were also dumping arms into the region. Loyalties switched with changing political tides, but the one constant was our arms buildup.

With the Berlin Wall (the catalyst for this arms race) thousands of miles to the north, this area was somehow considered strategic to U.S. security then. With the Cold War no longer an issue, we abandoned the area with tons of weapons left to wreak havoc with the struggling countries. Countless thousands have died since our arms infusion from both armed violence and starvation from political disruption.

It seems that having created much of the problem to begin with, we should not get cold feet when things get a bit rough. This is not a case of sticking our nose in someone else’s business as much as helping fix a mess our past leaders created.

ROBERT DAVID

Orange

* What have our congressmen, senators and Administration in common with the military wives who recently signed petitions to bring back the troops from Somalia? Both want huge “defense budgets” but no fighting, please. However, the former group needs the campaign contributions from the arms industry, while the wives and their husbands like the retirement benefits and the cushy existence of a peacetime Army.

Ken Herman (letter, Oct. 11) is right about Bush using the “starving” Somalis as an excuse for the Somali adventure. He is wrong about Clinton wanting to bring the troops back. Clinton, who also needed pay-back to the military industrial complex, backed Bush from day one. Now that he is in a bind and receiving heat from the public and the hypocrites in Congress, he’s cooked up the bring the boys back by March plan.

ALBERT G. SILVERTON

Upland

* Can you name a Democratic President who ever got us out of a war? That’s right, there aren’t any.

I couldn’t care less about saving face in Somalia, but I care a lot about saving young American lives. These are our sons, bring them home now.

CHARLOTTE C. DUNN

San Diego

* The plan of action for Somalia that President Clinton presented to the American people on Oct. 7, and which The Times supports (editorial, Oct. 8), is a recipe for disaster.

The President is not following the counsel of his military advisers--send in a sufficient force to teach Aidid and the world’s bullies a lesson, or get out quickly. Instead he is sending in a small force to protect our people as we gradually withdraw. In the short run this will cause us unnecessary casualties because it will embolden the unpunished Aidid to attack us. Over time Clinton’s action will encourage our enemies and potential enemies to test our power and resolve throughout the world.

MARK CAUBLE

Barstow