General’s Comments Hurt America’s Image

Re “General Draws Fire for Saying ‘It’s Fun to Shoot’ the Enemy,” Feb. 4: What can one think after reading Marine Lt. Gen. James Mattis’ comments? I find it frightening that those comments -- “As much emotional ... satisfaction as you get from really whacking somebody” -- are what an American general feels is appropriate fodder during a war that is being watched closely not only by America but the entire world.

America has already been raked through the coals over Abu Ghraib (and rightly so). Now his comments make it easy to guess where the soldiers get their ideas about how to treat Muslims they suppose to be part of the insurgency. Mattis twists cultural issues like the use of the veil, which he has no business discussing, to support a bloodlust: “I like brawling.”

War is an ugly thing even when it is necessary, and his comments make our motives seem suspect. The idea that it is all right for a soldier to take pleasure in killing and see himself as someone who is meting out justice is unacceptable.

Denise Clary-Wilson

Culver City