America can't withdraw from the world

Regarding Thomas F. Schaller's column about America's role in the world, he should quit beating around the bush about where he's coming from ("America should give up its role as lone superpower," July 25).

As a former Navy officer during World War II, I was more than pleased to have served in battle to protect our country, and I was very fortunate to have dodged the thousands of enemy bullets fired at us at sea.

For many years now, the U.S. and NATO have been at war with our enemies in Afghanistan, and it is quite obvious to me that those enemies cannot be controlled by the Afghan government.

Unless we stepped in, there would be nothing to prevent the insurgents there from planning and executing another devastating attack on the U.S. that would make9/11seem tame by comparison.

Quinton D. Thompson, Towson