letters I am responding to.

Bush, Cheney criminals, should be in jail
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 9:59 AM EDTE-mail this story to a friend Printable version
DEAR EDITOR:Re: Steve Crowley letter, "Democrats' propaganda helps enemy, hurts us," Tuesday's Marietta Daily JournalYes, Mr. Crowley, we are standing up and telling our politicians we've had enough! We've had enough of the Bush/Cheney lies - starting a war with a country that did not attack us and invading a country that had nothing to do with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. We're tired of Bush not protecting our borders, Osama and Al-Qaida could have come across our borders on a daily basis. We're tired of Bush trying to sell our country to Mexico and Canada with his infamous North American Union.Crowley talks about the Democratic Party using every opportunity to discredit Bush as a leader - what a joke! This man is not a leader and has done nothing but try to continually divide this country. He is the one who has used propaganda and continues to do so. Remember "Mission Accomplished," Jessica Lynch and Patrick Tillman? Don't you notice that when times get a little rough for him, he once again goes to his 9/11 speech, but he forgets to tell you that Saddam had nothing to do with it - it was Osama Bid Laden and Al-Qaida who are in Afghanistan where the fight should be. But no, we had to go to Iraq where more than 3,000 of our bravest have been killed and more than 15,000 seriously injured and Afghanistan is more dangerous than ever. And then, of course, we take such good care of our troops when they get home - remember Walter Reed Hospital - but, of course, when Bush says he supports the troops, we never look any further than that do we?
This so-called leader has surrounded himself with incompetence and we are all paying the price. You too, Mr. Crowley, but I guess you just can't see it yet!This country was founded on honest debate. The problem with this president is he can't take the honest debate without name-calling. I am so tired of Rush, Hannity and Boortz that I could puke. They sure preach honest debate, don't they -- they do nothing but call names and if you disagree with them, they hang up on you or cut you off or start yelling, because they can't debate and hold ground.We had eight long years of the Republicans going after Clinton. No honest debate there, but if someone goes after Bush, then they should be tried for treason, right? Bush and Cheney are the ones that have violated our Constitution and should be in jail. They are certainly criminals.Jeanette GallSmyrna
Those who criticize war dissenters are ignorant
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 9:59 AM EDTE-mail this story to a friend Printable version
DEAR EDITOR:In recent days MDJ columnist Laura Armstrong and letter-writer Steven Crowley attacked those who voice disagreement with our policy in Iraq as somewhere between the aging "peace" crowd and traitors. They take the stupefying ignorant approach that anyone who doesn't agree with them and our current policies are somehow against America and for terrorism.These arguments are both fundamentally wrong and cowardly. Both writers have forgotten, or chosen to ignore, that much of America's glorious history was shaped by those who disagreed and dissented. Our founding fathers, the women's movement, civil rights reform, all required Americans to seek and speak about aspects of America that required change. I think Ed Morrow said, "We are not descendants of fearful men." The fact is that dissent is the most quintessentially American of activities.Let me make clear that I am conservative by nature and favor an aggressive worldwide anti-terrorist foreign policy. I understand that in some cases that policy must be enforced by our military. Let me also make clear that I fully support our armed services, and I am humbled and proud that our forces continue to make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. That does not mean that I will support policies based on falsehoods and failed strategies. I am stunned by the cavalier way both writers insist that we mindlessly extend our existing plans, continuing the sacrifice of our troops, without debate or discourse.
We know now that Iraq did not have WMDs. We know through the 911 Commission that Iraq had no role in the 9/11 massacre. We know from our own intelligence organizations that terrorists have been galvanized by our Iraq strategy and we are less safe from terror now then before the invasion. We know from centuries of world history that occupying a foreign country - regardless of the nobility of the effort - is a brutally difficult task.Already we have lost 3,800 of our best and brightest, somewhere between 75,000 and 250,000 Iraqis, and spent billions of dollars with no end in sight. More of the same is a recipe for disaster (please see the definition of insanity).Consider where the war on terror might be had we made that investment in rebuilding Afghanistan, in new technology, and in controlling our own borders. We have to be smart enough to learn from our mistakes and adapt to the realities of today.Please do not accuse those who desire to change our strategies in Iraq with surrender to terrorists. Do not confuse efforts in Congress to expedite an end to our presence in Iraq - a platform on which many were elected - as anything less than executing their sworn responsibility to constituents.Finally, do not engage in the most un-American of all activities, the suppression of free debate in an open democracy.Not only is it the right of Americans to vigorously debate these issues, it's our duty to do so.Bill Martin
Marietta