thedrifter
06-09-08, 11:13 AM
June 9, 2008
Editorial
It's small price to pay to prepare for the worst
Our position: Playing host to Marine training exercises is a small sacrifice for city.
U.S. Marines know quite a bit about sacrifice. They leave behind their homes and families, endure physical and emotional hardships and risk their lives to protect the nation and its citizens.
Keep that in mind in coming days if you have to wait in traffic for a few minutes or hear a little extra noise because a contingent of Marines is conducting training exercises in the city.
The training poses little risk to residents, and any inconveniences caused by practice patrols, mock vehicle stops and other exercises likely will be minimal.
The Corps has successfully completed similar training in other urban areas, although not without controversy.
That, unfortunately, also is the case in Indianapolis. A few residents protested the training on Friday, arguing that the drills will disrupt activities in city parks and asking why urban areas were selected instead of upscale suburbs.
But training has been scheduled for times when parks are normally closed. No live ammunition will be used. As for why urban areas were chosen, that's precisely the point of the training -- to prepare young warriors for potential deployment in foreign cities, including possibly in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And, heaven forfend, if a terrorist attack or even a major natural disaster were to devastate an American city, the Marines may well be called to serve closer to home. Given those stakes, it's in everyone's best interests to have a well-trained cavalry at the ready.
Granted, both the city and the Marines could have handled upfront communication better. The owner of Eastgate Mall was alarmed to hear that his property had been selected for a training site -- without his approval.
Representatives of Mayor Greg Ballard have since said that inclusion of the mall on the training list was a mistake, and Eastgate is no longer scheduled as the site of an exercise.
Questions also have been raised about whether the Marines targeted Indy because the city's new mayor, Ballard, is a retired officer.
A Marine spokesman pointed out that plans for the exercises were being put together months before Ballard was elected in November.
The idea of a military helicopter, replete with troops, landing in a community park may be disconcerting to some in the city. Yet in light of how little most Americans are asked to give up in defense of their country, contending with a two-week visit by the Few and the Proud is a small measure of sacrifice.
Ellie
Editorial
It's small price to pay to prepare for the worst
Our position: Playing host to Marine training exercises is a small sacrifice for city.
U.S. Marines know quite a bit about sacrifice. They leave behind their homes and families, endure physical and emotional hardships and risk their lives to protect the nation and its citizens.
Keep that in mind in coming days if you have to wait in traffic for a few minutes or hear a little extra noise because a contingent of Marines is conducting training exercises in the city.
The training poses little risk to residents, and any inconveniences caused by practice patrols, mock vehicle stops and other exercises likely will be minimal.
The Corps has successfully completed similar training in other urban areas, although not without controversy.
That, unfortunately, also is the case in Indianapolis. A few residents protested the training on Friday, arguing that the drills will disrupt activities in city parks and asking why urban areas were selected instead of upscale suburbs.
But training has been scheduled for times when parks are normally closed. No live ammunition will be used. As for why urban areas were chosen, that's precisely the point of the training -- to prepare young warriors for potential deployment in foreign cities, including possibly in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And, heaven forfend, if a terrorist attack or even a major natural disaster were to devastate an American city, the Marines may well be called to serve closer to home. Given those stakes, it's in everyone's best interests to have a well-trained cavalry at the ready.
Granted, both the city and the Marines could have handled upfront communication better. The owner of Eastgate Mall was alarmed to hear that his property had been selected for a training site -- without his approval.
Representatives of Mayor Greg Ballard have since said that inclusion of the mall on the training list was a mistake, and Eastgate is no longer scheduled as the site of an exercise.
Questions also have been raised about whether the Marines targeted Indy because the city's new mayor, Ballard, is a retired officer.
A Marine spokesman pointed out that plans for the exercises were being put together months before Ballard was elected in November.
The idea of a military helicopter, replete with troops, landing in a community park may be disconcerting to some in the city. Yet in light of how little most Americans are asked to give up in defense of their country, contending with a two-week visit by the Few and the Proud is a small measure of sacrifice.
Ellie