THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 24, 1996 TAG: 9610240003
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 25 lines
One of the most irresponsible acts of President Clinton as commander in chief of the Armed Forces is his placing U.S. soldiers under U.N. commanders. He implemented this directive without constitutional or congressional authority and began sending our military into Haiti and Bosnia.
Why don't our military leaders object to placing their troops under foreign commanders? Because it's not ``politically correct'' to challenge the commander in chief!
Whatever happened to the concept of dual loyalty? The Joint Chiefs, and all officers, also have an obligation to provide frank appraisals of all military matters because their fundamental fidelity is to the nation - not to any particular administration.
Maj. Gen. Thomas A. Lane once wrote: ``Our military leaders cannot dismiss their responsibility for the safety of the nation by saying they obeyed the president.''
G. RUSSELL EVANS
Norfolk, Oct. 17, 1996 by CNB