Letter: Bush’s policy on war is keeping U.S. secure

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 | 7:04 a.m.

The Democrats' hatred of President Bush exposes their illogic, denial of reality, and cowardice, to wit:

They criticize President Bush's end-game planning for Iraq. But in their haste to undo his policies, they commit the same error, ignoring what state of affairs will exist there after we flee.

They mock his contention that "all people desire freedom." But then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi covers her head and pays homage to a state sponsor of terrorism. Muslims may not want freedom as we know it, but it's dangerously unrealistic to think they don't hate us for our way of life and our support of Israel.

They say Iraq is a quagmire, like Vietnam. They say we didn't learn the lesson of Vietnam. Their quagmire argument is contradicted by their anti-war (anti-Bush) leaders in Congress, who believe we can simply set a date for our departure. And they assert the wrong lesson of Vietnam. It was not "don't fight." It was "put everything you have into the fight."

Hating President Bush is not a substitute for national security policy. The stakes are extremely high. The kind of future we face depends heavily on the outcome in Iraq. Terrorists and terrorism-sponsoring states will decide whether to oppose us. Iran will decide whether nuclear weapons will help advance their geopolitical aims. Europe will decide whether we are the legitimate leader of the civilized world. And our youth will decide whether our country is worth fighting for.

These are dangerous times requiring realism and courage.

Richard D. McCord, Henderson