Hiding Soldiers’ Faces Shows Lack of Respect

Re “Photos of War Dead Released by Pentagon,” April 29: So we now can see photos of the coffins of those who gave their lives for the war in Iraq. What is the reasoning for the faces of the soldiers carrying the coffins to be blacked out?

Maybe the faces of those at the top should also be blacked out. Interesting note that the policy was imposed during the first Gulf War by then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney.

Walt Hauenstein

Garden Grove

I am horrified by the photo on the April 29 front page showing the blacked-out faces of soldiers carrying coffins. What is the message? Once again, the Pentagon has shown a complete lack of humanity and respect for our service members -- living and dead.

Does it really believe that there is any benefit to hiding the faces of the men carrying the coffins of their fellow comrades? Or is the Pentagon afraid to show the real human emotion that must be behind the black squares?

The Pentagon sent our troops into a poorly planned war based on a lie, didn’t provide the proper equipment to keep them safe, extended their deployments on a moment’s notice, and then when one fell, assumed that their brothers in arms would be afraid to show their faces? This is shameful!

Avalon Hill

Long Beach