Letter: Actions of WWII cannot be compared to Iraq war

Editor,

I am writing in response to Darren Wood's letter that appeared in Wednesday's Daily Lobo, "Sometimes conquest is the only way to freedom." He compared America's actions in World War II to the preventive war strategy of the Bush administration. His analogy is incorrect.

First, our government did not come to the defense of France in 1940. It entered only after Japan and Germany declared war on America. Spreading democracy was not the reason for America's entry.

Second, to compare the occupation of Japan and Germany to what is happening in Iraq is ridiculous. Japan and Germany had populations that were disciplined and homogeneous. They both suffered millions of casualties, had no allies and their borders were sealed. Over a million troops occupied Germany, while a half million occupied Japan.

Furthermore, both countries had been democracies to varying degrees. Iraq has always been ruled by autocrats.

You can trust utopians like Paul Wolfowitz all you want, Wood - true conservatives don't. And if remaking Iraq in our image is so important, why are you not there? As long as you do not pay the price, gambling with the lives of our troops is fine with you.

Gregg Ozimek

TVI staff