Let’s finish what we ‘unwisely’ started

I support our troops during war and peace. They are fighting with honor, dignity and determination as always. Our administration is another matter.

I am in shock at the blantanly bad-faith negotiations the Bush administration has foisted on our country. It seems there was a circle on the calendar marking Iraqi summer, the point of no return for war. This has been the center point of “peace” talks. With his lack of experience, Bush has ignored the principles of diplomacy which center on patience and respect for another sovereign nation, even one with a leader as despicable as Saddam. With such heavyweights as Condi Rice and Colin Powell, failure at negotiations must have come from a predetermination to solve the Iraqi problem with war making any Iraqi offer too little too late. Now we’ll never know if other options could have worked as they were never given a chance.

I am in awe that many people consider questioning our political leaders to be unpatriotic. Surely our democracy is big enough and strong enough to shoulder a spirited debate on the direction this administration has chosen, even as we still support our brave troops while they follow their orders.

Though I feel it was a tragic mistake to commence this war, let’s finish what we have so unwisely started. Eighteen months from now, we can remember Bush’s failures at the polls, and maybe this time the majority vote will count for something.

Snohomish