In a strange twist of a local, non-partisan politician thinking it appropriate to inject Epping into federal and military rules and proceedings, Selectman Rene Archambault planned to bring before his fellow selectmen a demand that Congresswoman Shea-Porter be prevented from using Epping Town Hall to report to her Epping area constituents.

That Archambault has subsequently dropped those plans following a phone conversation with Shea-Porter doesn’t negate the fact that Selectman Archambault abused his oath and his office when he recommended the Epping public be deprived of the opportunity to hear from and speak with their elected Representative.

In the second place, Duncan Hunter is an all-out apologist for anything the military does. If he had his way, we would continue the “go-it-alone”, “thumb-in-the-eye” foreign policy approach of the Bush administration. And he would spend more of our nation’s blood and treasure on counterproductive militarism around the world. It is instructive that he could garner only 33 of 435 colleagues to sign-on to his letter. I applaud the thoughtful and considered manner in which Congresswoman Shea-Porter has approached this issue.

Third, the Navy Seals CHOSE to bring the issue into a legal proceeding. How inappropriate for politicians of any stripe, particularly local, supposedly non-partisan ones, to pre-judge the issue and intervene in any way. As to the broader issue of having military or civilian representatives of our country engaging in behavior that is “unbecoming” or antithetical to American values… I know that I want my service members to follow military protocol and the Geneva Convention. America has suffered mightily because of the illegal and immoral acts of some members of our military, the CIA, and private contractors such as Blackwater (now called Xe Services).

Fourth, Blackwater contributed to the deaths of the four contractors by sending its employees into Fallujah with inadequate armor, inadequate firepower, and without advance knowledge of the very dangerous conditions in the area. In another case, former Blackwater employees are under indictment for the murder of as many as 14 civilians in Nisoor Square Baghdad, who were “killed without cause”, according to an FBI investigation. This, and the atrocities engaged in at Abu Ghraib, are what happens when we flaunt the rule of law and abandon the principles embodied in our Constitution.

Republican President Dwight Eisenhower warned of the threat to our democracy of the growing might of the Military-Industrial Complex. He would surely feel vindicated about his dire warnings if he could see America’s condition today. Wake up America!!

The Seals ELECTED to be tried rather than be “disciplined” for something they did not do.

The proper answer is immediate dismissal of the charges as not credibly sustained.

Why the Navy’s Judge Advocate does not do so under the conditions extant is difficult to understand.

And Dr. Ken, it just saddens us deeply up here. Longtime Newhampshiremen fell like we’re letting down the side.