The Courier Post, June 24, 2008 http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008806240309

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is campaigning for president on his military record. We should all honor his service to our country, but maybe question his logic. 

As a Navy pilot and then prisoner of war for five years, McCain never got the opportunity to plan an invasion like Gen. Colin Powell, conduct a war like Gen. Tommy Franks or help a war-torn continent recover like Gen. George C. Marshall. 

His assessment of how safe downtown Baghdad is became suspect when he was pictured walking in the midst of 200 heavily armed men while helicopters flew cover overhead. American casualties are down, but Iraqis keep getting killed -- collateral damage from coalition bombs and suicide bombers wherever crowds assemble. 

Like President Bush, McCain is committed to victory in Iraq, but neither of them will define what that means. I believe McCain doesn't know the difference between Sunni and Shiite or that they have been feuding since the 7th century and are poor candidates for a shared future. 

They have already cleansed areas of rival sects so few mixed neighborhoods remain. The Kurds in the north would rather join other Kurds in Syria, Iran and Turkey than be in the middle of a Sunni-Shia civil war. 

McCain is a true hero, but has expressed a desire to bomb Iran rather than negotiate to keep it from acquiring a nuclear weapon. We are living with the consequences of a president who considers diplomacy a weakness. We don't need another one. 

NICK REINA

 Milmay