To the editor:
I just heard that the White House is “appalled” at the possibility that Russia may execute two Americans who were captured in the Ukraine. As I understand it, these two men went to the Ukraine specifically to kill Russian soldiers.
Not to protect the free world but to kill. I can hear it, “C’mon, Bubba, let’s go shoot us some Russkies.”
As volunteers, they are not protected by the Geneva Conference guidelines of treatment for POWs and Russia would be within its rights to treat them as potential murderers. While any loss of life in “Putins’ War” is to be abhorred, I find it difficult to sympathize with these two men who willingly put themselves in the line of fire, hoping to slay strangers thousands of miles removed from their native Alabama.
Hopefully, this whole s–t show will be over with soon, like tomorrow, but thinking that American lives are worth more than anybody else’s is over the top. All lives matter, equally.
I apologize for offending anyone reading this, I’m just expressing my opinion.
Mark Wakeman, 1965 Wayland High School graduate
Mr Wakeman
Surely you “jest” in believing two men from Alabama just went there to just kill some “Russkies”.
I’m sure you might remember the “advisors” that went to Vietnam….not all were officially in the military.
An educated guess might put them as ” contractors ” a modern politically correct term for mercenary forces. It may be beyond most persons imagination, but there still many past military personnel available for hire.
Sadly they know the risks and death is a reality for them. They ask not for your tears or the criticism for their actions. Being hired to do a job with the special talents they have and receiving adequate compensation is all they require.
Sir you are very much entitled to your opinion. I personally will shed some tears knowing they would much rather been killed than captured.
Mr. Wakeman, your statement although one made by the Russian Federation just may be and probably is incorrect, your statement, “As volunteers, they are not protected by the Geneva Conference guidelines of treatment for POWs and Russia would be within its rights to treat them as potential murderers.” That statement is true if Mr. Drueke and Mr. Tia Ngoc Huynh were not in the uniform of or showing insignia of Ukraine and disguising the fact, they are members of an enemy military force. If as you stated “volunteers” were not covered by the Geneva Convention, not Conference, the American Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Cost Guard (in time of war) would not be covered as would half of the Russian Army. The Geneva Convention sees no difference between volunteers and conscripts.
Because the two men are from Alabama you call them “Bubba”. Please look into the two men’s history and linage it may surprise you.
Would you say the same thing about the International Brigades that went to Spain in the 1930s to fight Franco? Also, the last I checked, Russia invaded Ukraine without provocation. What right does Russia have to execute people who are guests in Ukraine, an internationally recognized sovereign state?
Also, if you’re going to make assertions about anything, let alone a person’s motive for joining a war thousands of miles away, it’s common practice to hyperlink to some sort of evidence that backs up your claim. Otherwise, you come across as an uninformed conjecturer who adds nothing of substance to discourse.