Peace isn't always the best answer

In regards to Nancy F. Renk's recent letter on her opposition to war: She states that she does not agree that war is the only way to protect our freedoms. I couldn't agree more. War definitely is not the only tool in the toolbox of freedom protection. However, she goes on to infer that what she in fact believes is that war is never a way to protect our freedom. I couldn't disagree more. She believes that we protect our freedom only by being "vigilant" toward threats and then when threatened, she believes we must work within existing treaties and international organizations to resolve our differences — which she then claims involves cooperation and compromise.

My question to her would be: what should we have given Hitler to remove his armies from the countries which he invaded. How could we have cooperated with him in the slaughter of millions of Jews?

More closely, if a bad guy enters her house and is about to rape and pillage in her daughter's room, does she believe that cooperation and compromise are the answer to the crisis, or would not in fact a properly and expediently placed .40 caliber hollow point round me more sufficient to the task of eliminating the threat?

PAUL HERNDON

Sandpoint