Jack:

I am not questioning you or your uncles' or, for that matter, any one in your family's patriotism. My point is, to bring up this question at all, is just what we have gotten from this administration for the last six years. If you did not agree, then you were something less than a full fledged American.

What this is all about is we are stuck in another undeclared war that sure looks awful open ended. We are stuck in this war because of poor leadership. Go back to the First Gulf War, going into Iraq was not just idly considered, but it was dismissed, and by far more knowelegeable people than me.

Many supporters of the current Iraq policy seem to feel that only the Republican party can provide for our defense and fight wars. If I remember my history correctly, outside of Grenada and Panama, all our other wars were fought under Democratic administrations. I am pretty sure that the Republicans haven't successfully proscuted a war since the Civil War under Lincoln.

I have a real hard time underestanding the wisdom of fighting a major war with a divided country behind you. You may want to debate the issue of "dividedness," but I think most of the recent polls and elections support my view.

I voted for GHWB,Reagan,and Ford. I would have voted for Nixon, but I wasn't old enough in '68, but I did in '72. I have a picture on my office wall with my father and GHWB which I treasure. Where I departed with this current administration was the arrogance, stubborness, and failure to admit mistakes. They might keep their extreme right wing base, but they are doing their very best to drive away and moderate Republicans and independents.

You can defend them all you want. I thought "W" made a promise when he visited NYC a day or two after 9/11 to go after the people that brought these buildins down. Well, that sure seems pretty secondary to anything we are doing now. Unless I am mistaken, the people that brought the World Trade Center down are hiding in Pakistan.

best regards,

Ed Pirie
West Topsham, Vermont