1. I was staggered by the sight of Donald Trump saluting the US military as they passed him in a parade supposedly celebrating the US armed forces (“Trump celebrates birthday with grand military parade”, June 14). The hypocrisy of a person who avoided the Vietnam War draft when his father got some dodgy doctor to say Donald had “heel spurs” is remarkable. Trump’s hide in even turning up for this parade, in my mind, was the ultimate insult to American servicemen and women. This is the person who stood in an American war cemetery above the D-Day beaches and called those buried there “losers and suckers”. Perhaps the fact that so many of the marching troops were hopelessly out of step as they passed Trump was their way of protesting
~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. As a retired Australian serviceman who served in Vietnam alongside the US forces, may I say how disgusted I was by the so-called “parade” of current US Army troops “marching” in Washington today. I have never seen a worse, more dejected, poorly trained, slump-shouldered group, except perhaps a gang of condemned prisoners. They were a disgrace to themselves and their country. On the other hand, I salute the people of LA and other US cities who are refusing to kowtow to the dictator in the White House. If they overcome the current tyranny, perhaps the US can again claim to be “the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”.
~~~~~~~~~ 3. The United States may have military capabilities that far outweigh the potential of “little Britain”, but a comparison of their foot soldiers reveals a significant difference. At the weekend, television images of the Washington parade showed American soldiers sauntering along as if they were out for an afternoon stroll, while images of a parade in London showcased the UK military’s discipline and precision. Perhaps Trump’s lack of discipline is being reflected in the nation’s military.
~~~~~~~~~ 4. He managed to avoid service himself but presided over a parade in which soldiers appeared to be strolling casually down Constitution Avenue. The same man recently set military forces against his own citizens. Meanwhile, a world-threatening situation has developed in the Middle East. Something is not quite right here. ~~~~~~~~~~ 5. Trump’s military parade is, I think, a poor imitation of those by dictators Putin, Kim, Hitler and Mussolini.