Groups sue to stop Navy from using sonar, fearing harm to mammals

If you've read this site for any time, you know that I'm a firm environmentalist, and one who's spoken out repeatedly against the Bush Administration for its refusal to enforce the Endangered Species Act. Protecting wildlife is very important to me.

However, if it comes down to a choice between American sailors and American national security on the one hand, and endangered species -- even showy endangered species like whales -- on the other, I have to choose the sailors. At any event, the harm has not been proven, the Fisheries Service doesn't think it will be a big problem, and it does appear that the Navy is trying to avoid causing problems. Maybe it could try harder. But I'm not going to choose to leave my nation open to attack to save the whales. I'm sorry, that's how it is.