> LETTER FROM RET. MARINE CSM AND RET. MARINE MAJOR
6 September 2004, 21:39
President Bush led us into an unnecessary war in Iraq. Iraq was not a threat to our vital national interests. Even if the war was justified, he erred in failing to listen to the Iraq experts who warned that keeping the peace after defeating Saddam Hussein would be a problem. President Bush’s unwillingness to listen to dissenting opinions has cost many American and Iraqi lives.
We have lost, to date, approximately 1000 American soldiers, sailors and airmen in Iraq. Thousands more are permanently disabled. We have the greatest military force in the world. They performed magnificently in Iraq. We are justifiably proud of them, but we should never ask them to risk their lives unless our vital national interests are at stake.
President Bush has led us on a long, costly detour on the war on terrorism. We will pay for his mistakes for many years.
President Bush led us into an unnecessary war in Iraq. Iraq was not a threat to our vital national interests. Even if the war was justified, he erred in failing to listen to the Iraq experts who warned that keeping the peace after defeating Saddam Hussein would be a problem. President Bush’s unwillingness to listen to dissenting opinions has cost many American and Iraqi lives.
We have lost, to date, approximately 1000 American soldiers, sailors and airmen in Iraq. Thousands more are permanently disabled. We have the greatest military force in the world. They performed magnificently in Iraq. We are justifiably proud of them, but we should never ask them to risk their lives unless our vital national interests are at stake.
President Bush has led us on a long, costly detour on the war on terrorism. We will pay for his mistakes for many years.