Letter: Robust criticism of policy is part of democratic life

Monday, Jan. 17, 2005 | 8:53 a.m.

Letter writer Betty Jean Waite, along with an author she recommended in her most recent letter, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Patterson, believe that liberals undermine the military and endanger national security when they criticize President Bush's policies. Yet elected officials in a free and open society are subject to both praise and criticism.

While I haven't read Patterson's book, I can't understand how exercising a freedom endangers that very freedom. The purpose of our military for more than 200 years has been the very defense of those freedoms.

These are the facts to me: We invaded Iraq 22 months ago and in that time we have yet to find anything to suggest that Saddam Hussein was an immediate threat to our security. Policy changed from imminent danger to liberation of the Iraqi people. Our military subdued Saddam and the Iraqi army in less than two months. Twenty months later, however, we are still sacrificing American lives in order to liberate the Iraqi people.

There's something wrong with this picture.

The liberal left has gotten over the re-election of George W. Bush. We have, however, just begun exercising the freedom afforded us to demonstrate the mistake that was made with that re-election. For those who believe such criticism undermines the military, well, I'm sorry, but it's just the price we all pay for living in a free and open society.

TERRY E PEELE