Dear Editor:

Before I was assigned to Vietnam in 1967, we went over the “Rules of Engagement.” Simply put, you do not kill your enemy, unless he/she is a threat to you or others. You capture them.

When I was a police officer for the City of Los Angeles, of course, we had similar rules: you do not use deadly force against any person, even if you knew they were guilty, unless you or others are in mortal danger. You arrest them and allow a court to decide their fate.

That is why I’m so distraught about what the Trump Administration is doing off the coast of South America when our Navy destroys small boats President Trump  says are carrying drugs to the United States. If I did that as a Navy man in Vietnam, or an officer in Los Angeles, I’d end up in prison. If Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth believe the boats are carrying drugs, intercept the boats and take those onboard into custody, and let higher authority decide their guilt or innocence.

An admiral in charge of the fleet off South America resigned, saying he would not be responsible for killing these people, who may be innocent.

I feel sorry for the sailors on these ships and planes who are following orders to bomb the boats and kill people, people who can’t fight back.  They, and the officers assigned over them, must know what they are doing is not only illegal, but wrong.  We learned after World War II that following orders do not exempt you from your actions.

I beg of the sailors, and the officers, all the way up the chain of command, to tell Trump and Hegseth they won’t kill people who may be innocent. Intercept and arrest them, instead.

Ted Storck, Commander, USN, retired

Ex-Los Angeles Police Officer

Morris