Maj. Gen. Larry Tibbetts '56 Takes Prof. to Task Over Recent Column

August 7, 2007

August 7, 2007, Greencastle, Ind. - "I served with a group of exceptionally dedicated and selfless peers," writes Major General Larry Tibbetts in today's Indianapolis Star. Tibbetts, who served 34 years in the U.S. Air Force and is a 1956 graduate of DePauw University, offers a response to Professor Ken Bode's newspaper column of July 27, in which he asserted that generals "all tell Mr. Bush what he wants to hear" about the situation in Iraq.

Tibbetts answers, "I know many of the current crop, and they're cut from the same mold. The professor's characterization of them as liars who are derelict in their duty is patently dishonest."

He adds, "Senior military officers share a common bond. It's based on honor, integrity and devotion to the Constitution. Their job is to deter war, and if that fails, to effectively manage the ensuing violence. They have years of training and experience in this rather arcane field. Senior officers have a solemn duty to provide our political leaders their best judgments of the risks and potential effects of a military action. There is no reason to believe Gen. David Petraeus will not do precisely that when he reports to the administration and Congress in September."

Tibbetts, who also rebutted Professor Bode in an April op-ed, asserts, "Every voice should and will be heard. But when the din subsides, there is just one commander in chief who is responsible for a decision. If you believe you've been misled or that the country has gone astray, you have a direct input in the 2008 election."

Read the complete letter at the Star's Web site.

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