With all the brouhaha about sexual assaults in the military, and the ugly irony of a couple of anti-assault program managers being charged with sexual assault, it might be profitable to actually look at what this arose from.

The number of 26,000 assaults is being touted from the Senate on down. What too many people seem to have missed is that the Pentagon itself says that this is an estimate and is primarily based on an anonymous survey.

The Pentagon also estimates that only 10 percent of all sexual assaults get reported. One wonders at how they arrived at this …

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The regional economic powerhouse, the Department of Defense and its contractors – the “Military Industrial Complex” (MIC) – employ many thousands in our region, putting bacon on the table for a large percentage of families. So it is easy to understand why The News Tribune and other regional newspapers give substantial news coverage and deference in support of the MIC. However, this is not balanced and objective news reporting.

Many members of local and regional anti-war and anti-nuclear arms peace organizations, including Pacific Life Community and Pax Christi Tahoma, recently held a retreat that included a presentation at the University …

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Due to lies, deceit and an unbending stance on ideology (not to mention the goal of opposing anything President Obama tries to accomplish), the GOP and the Teapublicans have possibly managed to enact defense spending cuts – something the evil, freedom-hating lefties have supported for decades.

Thank you, Teabillies, for making it impossible for moderate and attached-to-reality Republican leaders to even think about responsible governing.

Re: “Younger veterans struggle to find jobs” (TNT, 2-24).

As they face challenges finding a job, many young veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan struggle with disabilities; nearly half have filed some kind of claim. Yet the budget cuts now being proposed in Congress could actually make it harder for veterans to get the care they need.

The federal government has threatened to triple veterans’ health care premiums to help pay down the deficit while discharging more than 100,000 troops, effectively sending them straight to the unemployment line.

Veterans understand just as well as anyone that the government needs to …

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In a few days, a far-right Republican cult will allow the budget sequester to go into effect and fulfill their dream of sabotaging Barack Obama’s presidency.

They had a chance to work on a compromise last week, but since Republicans control the congressional schedule, they opted for a “work week” and forced everyone in the House to leave.

President Obama has a deficit-reduction package on the table of half taxes, half budget cuts. Nothing could be more fair and balanced. But Republicans won’t deal.

When poor children in Head Start programs and their teachers are denied education and employment, Republicans …

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Wow.

That was all I could come up with for a minute when I saw you chose to print a cartoon mocking the murder of Chris Kyle (TNT, 2-16). I had seen it elsewhere online, but never expected to see something that hateful and callous in your paper.

I have always known the News Tribune editorial staff tends to lean towards the left on most topics, including the military and gun control. In spite of that, I was under the impression you supported individual service members. Your decision to print that cartoon makes it abundantly clear how much you despise …

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Re: “Military would protect Constitution” (letter, 1-28).

In responding to another letter (TNT, 1-24), the writer asks if he really thinks that those under oath to protect and defend would turn their guns on their fellow citizens.

Has the writer ever heard or read about the 1970 incident at Kent State University in Ohio? During the Vietnam War, the National Guard fired on unarmed protesters, killing four and wounding nine Americans who were only taking advantage of their constitutional right to protest.

The ban has been lifted on women in combat. Now when women turn 18, they should also be required to register with Selective Service and be conscripted in the event the government wishes to add troops quickly. If women have the ability to take up arms and fight hand to hand in combat, then they are also capable to serve whether they volunteer or not.

So, ladies, why don’t you fully step up to the plate and demand Selective Service registration? You cannot have it both ways!