The Iraq War’s Rough Language, Hard Images

Re “The Unreality of War,” editorial, Feb. 23: The residents of Los Angeles have my sympathies. Here in my hometown, we were treated like adults and had available the uncensored version of the “Frontline” program, “A Company of Soldiers.” I can tell you that my city is still standing despite being exposed to the smattering of colorful language, which was wholly appropriate given the situations depicted. (I too would not stop to mince words if I were being shot at.)

There’s a place in our discourse for the use of these words, so packed with emotion. Where we go wrong is in using them carelessly or gratuitously. This was not the case among these soldiers, and we insult them by implying their expressions of fear and anger were somehow vulgar.

Robert J. Inlow

Charlottesville, Va.

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When there is a disaster, natural or man-made, we rarely think about animal suffering. Yet animals experience suffering as we do -- including fear, panic and pain. Watching that program, the moment I heard the dog bark (dogs, that have the duty to protect us and our property) I sensed what was going to happen. That beautiful dog barked at approaching U.S. soldiers, then suffered several bullet wounds before it lay down and died.

I did not see the dog attack any of the soldiers. As its master came running, knelt beside it and buried his face in his hands, I thought: What I would do if an occupying foreign army came and shot my dog. Animals, not just the Iraqis, are also the victims of “Operation Iraqi Freedom.”

Doris Koegel Roth

Corona del Mar