Military Poses Wildlife Threat

Re “Military Chafes at Wildlife Rules,” Aug. 23: Nothing gets me more upset than reading a story in which the military presumes that it can rewrite the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act for its own advancement. Our federal government and military forces are already the largest spoilers of our environment.

The Pentagon must not be allowed to do this any more than would a private, commercial developer be allowed to take the lives of desert tortoises to develop a strip mall. We must not let this happen. Please contact your representatives with your outrage.

Michael Gordon

Long Beach

*

Perhaps the Bush administration should spend more time and energy on showing the international community that America desires to work with them on an equal footing, rather than discarding helpful international treaties because they supposedly conflict with short-term American interests. If our government was truly serious in respecting the rest of the world, our military wouldn’t have to maintain a state of readiness that requires the bombing of endangered species and wildlife refuges. The Bush administration is making a huge mistake in its attitudes on the military and the environment.

Andrew Haystead

Ventura