Recently two profoundly undemocratic acts became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. One of these provided for permanent military detention of U.S. citizens without due process, and the other allowed the military the right to propagandize the citizenry, influence public opinion for the first time in our history.  These two acts are nails in the already closed coffin of democracy here.

Navy Capt. Michael Nortier took advantage of that law and wrote a lengthy piece in the Leader hoping to manipulate our thinking which is opposed to Navy plans to carry out assaults on wildlife in "our" forests.

The captain further asserts that they need this training to "take the fight to the enemy." Taking the fight to the enemy killed 3 million innocent Vietnamese, none of whom were "my" enemy.  Taking the fight to the enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan resulted in 75,000 vets from those wars committing suicide. The acts these vets carried out against those "enemies" so dishonored their sense of decency they could not live with it – and yes, we thank them for those acts, that service? The military is out of control.

The local Navy is dictating to civilians what they intend to do in "our" forests. The Navy wants what it wants when it wants it – stand up and salute, citizen. 

FYI: There is an agreement between the Department of Defense and the Department of Agriculture which stipulates conditions the military must meet to carry out exercises in "our" forests. Section D states, "This agreement does not apply to use of airspace over National Forest Systems unless directly associated with land-based training." Capt. Nortier says the exercise is to train pilots, hence is disallowed by law over "our" forests. 

The Navy is out of control.

DON SCOTTEN

Port Hadlock