We've gone from being admired to reviled

On Feb. 21, five Pentagon generals found out by watching CNN they’d been fired. 

One, wearing battle-fatigues in a warzone at the time, served the Army for 33 years with tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Ukraine. Supporting Ukraine made him "woke." I know him personally. A devout Christian, he said had he not been fired he would have resigned. He couldn’t continue without compromising his morals and ethics. He may not get a pension. Will he be dishonorably discharged? Trump just fired 1,200 Veteran Administration workers. 

My family has veterans who served in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan wars or conflicts. How can any veteran or veteran’s families support Trump who paid a doctor who exempted him from the draft when my father was shipping out for a three-year tour starting with Vietnam, leaving my mom and five kids behind? 

Trump is removing all military personnel who oppose him so he can take over the U.S. military like so many evil totalitarian dictators who he admits to admire. If you think this is OK, you are brainless idiots. German citizens stood by as Hitler convinced them he was going to "Make Germany Great Again."  

My dad was stationed in England from 1958 until 1961. The family went with him. American military people were adored there. Americans were the heroes that saved Europe from dictators: Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini and Franco. My parents remained friends with English neighbors the rest of their lives.

Post-World War II, America was deservedly admired as courageous and just. Now, thanks to Trump we are laughed at, feared by our oldest allies and our national anthem is booed. We are perceived as being governed by a greedy, narcissistic, buffoon who wants to hand democratic Ukraine to the murdering dictator, Putin. How great is that?

BETTY GARDNER

Priest River