I read an article in the June 25 News that said U. S. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal in Afghanistan says, “our troops must make a cultural shift” away from high-intensity combat and instead make protecting Afghan citizens their first priority. Excuse me, does this guy know that there is a war going on and that these men and women were trained to fight and defeat the enemy?

Our young people are dying in Afghanistan. I’d say that’s giving their all to protect the Afghan people. Unfortunately, during wars innocent people die—or if you prefer the government’s name, “collateral damage” happens quite a bit— when high explosives go off or you’re in a firefight for your life with the enemy and there is lead and brass flying all over the place.

I feel for the Afghan people and really hope they win the freedom that we all have. But I sure hope our government is not going to make our soldiers fight with one hand tied behind their backs like they did in southeast Asia. It kind of sounds like that’s where things are headed again, and that’s no way to win a war. You’d think the generals would at least know that.

Joseph M. Tomasulo

Newfane