When I remember basic training back in 1953, it took three months – that included weapons, jungle tactics, bridge building, explosives, etc. – and then they sent the battalion to Korea.

We have been training the Iraqis for over two years. We can train cavemen in a quarter of that time. It seems to me that Iraqis don’t want to be trained, they don’t want to fight their own people. Why should they? They’re collecting a monthly salary while in training.

I’d say put them in harm’s way and they’ll fight or run; it’s high time we find out what they’re made of. I also think that our generals may be asleep or protecting their jobs. How is it that a weapon depot or warehouse can lose over 25,000 weapons? Who was guarding those warehouses? The insurgents? They also hire American contrators to do work that is deplorable and unacceptable by the lowest standards.

Someone has to be held accountable for those blunders. Put someone like Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gen. George Patton or Gen. Douglas MacArthur in charge. We need a change of guard from our president on down. And the Iraqi trainees need to fight or be branded as cowards. May God bless and support our troops.

Norman Boulay, Lewiston