Letter: Americans led astray by deceitful rhetoric

Saturday, July 21, 2007 | 7:22 a.m.

I just recently became aware of an alarming statistic. I heard on Chris Matthews' program that two out of five Americans still think Iraq was responsible for 9/11. President Bush misleads this country in every one of his speeches by connecting the two. For instance, he'll say we cannot leave Iraq until the job is completed, and we must fight the terrorists so we do not have another 9/11. This type of rhetoric is called lack of honesty and sneakiness or, for a better word, deceitful.

On "Meet the Press" last Sunday, Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., said, "All of the things that people like myself were predicting would happen if we went into Iraq are exactly the sort of things the president and the small group of people who rally around him said would happen if we leave," such as Iran would be empowered, international terrorism would be up and the region would become unstable.

Gen. Peter Pace said as recently as July 16 that we may need another troop buildup. Yet some months back (on "Meet the Press") he said the war is not only going well, but very well. Which is it? Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said American troops can leave anytime they want. While at the same time, we read al-Qaida is on the move. And the bombings in Baghdad and Kirkuk are at their deadliest.

Then to put salt in the wound, the Iraqi parliament says it wants an August recess (the White House says because it is so hot). They cool off while our troops swelter in their extremely heavy uniforms, boots and armor.

This botched war has become a mockery , and unfortunately it is our great military troops who are bearing the consequences. Are any of the " two out of five" mentioned above feeling the pains of this war ? I think not.

LaRue S. Boenig, Henderson