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Revisionism

Dear Editor: The vice president says it’s “shameless revisionism” to even suggest that the facts were manipulated to get Congress to initiate the war with Iraq. Golly wonkers, Mr. Cheney, where are the weapons of mass destruction? Where are the bin Laden connections with Saddam? How was it Saddam intended to attack Americans? Where was Saddam on Sept. 11? Running Saddam out of town looks a lot more like securing an oil field than it looks like keeping terrorists out of New York. Revisionism? It’s not revising anything. It’s two sets of issues that can barely be connected in the same sentence. Aren’t these all points made to justify sending troops to Iraq? Is it manipulation to not supply the answers? Is it manipulation to rush to judgment by saying “mission accomplished”? One more “revisionism” point: What happened to painting Congressman Murtha as Michael Moore? Oops, I mean, “good man, Marine, patriot.” Maybe the White House will be needing that vote in committee.Keeping troops in Iraq makes America safer … I don’t get that one. I believe that every day U.S. troops stay in Iraq makes America less safe. It provokes every Muslim into a deeper sense of resentment. It breeds suicide bombers. I saw Jack Valenti on the Imus program this morning … the 42nd anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. Valenti hit the nail so hard on the head that I can still hear the hammer. He said that his advice to presidents is before going to war over the hatred of an enemy, know the enemy. Know the motivation, mores, religion, history and culture. America didn’t know any of that in Vietnam and, I submit, less is known about Iraq.I’d like to see Mr. Cheney speak to an audience that isn’t mired in the narrow conservative tunnel. If debate of the war is healthy, then why not talk to people who have opposing views? Go find people who disagree and try to convince them. Open your mind to the ideas of others and ponder the wisdom of their position. The administration’s position on the war is to assault opponents and run for cover. They need his vote on military issues. I think the president, the vice president and Secretary Rumsfeld should make daily visits to the disabled troops. They need to explain how the government will abandon them when they return home to their families. They need to look into the faces of the troops and explain how their loss of arms, legs, eyes and a future has made America safe. Randy Day Snowmass