Iraq war never made sense

Editor,

As I sit here on June 20 looking at the faces of two tortured and dead American soldiers ,Thomas Tucker and Kristian Menchaca shown on CNN's Internet news report, both good looking young men who joined the military for probably a variety of personal reasons, but surely thinking that their duties and deployments as part of our great military complex would make sense, would help spread democracy around the world, would help make America safer, and they would only be asked to perform any operation after being given the best and most thorough training possible.

For many of us who are patriotic and proud Americans; who have served our country in the military in very different times; who love our country; who want to believe that our commander-in-chief is wise, curious, a careful listener to all points of view in decision-making; and is a person of high stature and superior intellect, it is a very bitter pill to swallow to have to admit:

1. The war in Iraq does not make sense and never did and we should have listened to many various experts, including George H.W. Bush, who said invading Iraq will not work.

2. Invading and occupying Iraq, if anything, is turning that entire region of the world more and more against democracy. Invading a country and thinking we can force democracy in an area of the world? Are wearily that naive?

3. The entire Iraq and Afghanistan campaign has, if anything, made America less safe. No doubt about that. We have repeatedly fanned the flames of international terrorism.

Of our struggling young, brave American soldiers have not been well trained in performing the type of operation into which they have been thrust, often without proper equipment, to deal with an insurgency made up of a combination of elements: terrorists, patriots, resistance forces, radical religious groups, average citizens who are angry and bitter, criminals and suicide bombers.

"Cut and run?" Those words come only out of ego pride. "Stay the course?"

Those words are only meaningless platitudes. "Make America safer?" There is no "connect" between invading Iraq and making America safer, and there never was and countless experts knew it and openly expressed themselves well before the first bomb was dropped.

This is a sad, sad period in the life of America, but I believe we will recover eventually, and get back on the right track. I can only believe that way for my own peace of mind.

Bob McClellan

Polson