In the shadow of the sixth anniversary of the devastating events of Sept. 11, 2001, I have a suggestion.

For the past year or more I firmly believe that our troops would be better utilized on home soil, providing a backup for overworked border guards and airport security, thus hopefully preventing terrorists from entering the country.

I believe that we, as a country, can’t obliterate terrorism, either foreign or domestic. There are just too many martyrs that are willing to step into their predecessors’ shoes, often blindly.

Our troops have entered into many situations that were, in hindsight, not the best advised. However, as a retired veteran with 23 years of service, I believe we did what we had to after the events of Sept. 11, but I also believe that since Saddam Hussein’s capture and eventual execution, that the majority of our troops should have been on their way home.

We, as a country, have given the Iraqi people the tools to govern themselves, and it’s time for them to use them, or not. It’s their choice. Many of them have lived for generations knowing nothing but war and conflict. We may not like it, but we did rid them of one tyrant, so why not see if they are passionate enough to use those tools?

If I remember my history, we as a nation also faced opposition from the British, yet we prospered as a country. We have had our internal wars, but none so long as Iraq has. We are foolish as a country to believe that we can just go in and change the way a people have lived for many generations.

I’d like to see my brothers and sisters in arms home as soon as possible; the president has authorized the killing of too many already.

Angella Moser

Jonesboro