What a surprise, as today (commentary, May 20) Gary Horton is hooting again using a small piece of history to justify his whole column’s assertion.
It is true, Dwight Eisenhower did say, “We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought by the industrial military complex. The potential for a dangerous rate of misplaced power exists and will persist.”
Please remember, his statement was made shortly after the industrial military complex helped Eisenhower win World War II. Without their aid, we surely would have lost, and the whole world would be speaking German today.
But that is not why Eisenhower is not one of my favorite presidents.
My father, Ernest, voluntarily enlisted and fought in World War II. Fortunately, he returned home alive and uninjured. But many did not. A lot of those service members who died did so because of some of Eisenhower’s poor and short-sighted judgement.
To name just a few, there was the time when Eisenhower held Gen. George Patton back from taking Berlin. Eisenhower made the political decision to wait for (British Gen. Bernard) Montgomery to catch up, thereby prolonging the end of the war.
Then at the end of World War II, Vietnam wanted to establish control over its entire country. Eisenhower participated in an agreement between the French and the Vietnamese, that there would be free elections in 1953 to determine the fate of the country. But when the time came, France knew they were going to lose the election and went to Eisenhower, who agreed not to hold those free elections, which established the basis for the Vietnam War. We all know what happened after that day.
So, you can talk about Dwight D. wanting peaceful solutions. But his solutions typically cost American servicemen their lives.
I’m sorry, Gary, you just don’t understand what is important. When President Donald Trump utilized new methods of establishing U.S. power using tariffs and starving Iran financially, guys like Jonathan Kraut are now fearful of having to pay $1 more for Starbucks coffee.
So, what is more important, Gary, not living under the threat of nuclear annihilation, or $1 more for Starbucks?
It is far more important to discuss important matters which affect our daily lives, than it is to worry about who made the decision.
Alan Ferdman
Canyon Country
