In response to the letter, “President didn’t lie” (BDN, July 22). I respectfully suggest that Brent Richardson find the actual documents he refers to and read them for himself, as I believe he has been misled by someone else’s interpretation of them; especially since he – like so many of us – is trying to find the truth about these issues.

Ambassador Joseph Wilson’s report says, among other findings, that there had been no sales of uranium from Niger to Iraq. Also, the small amount of Sarin found in shells in Iraq was not new, but left over from the first Gulf War.

Concerning the Geneva Conventions, it is obvious their intent is to protect all prisoners even though legal minds have played word games with them. Besides that agreement, the United States has signed at least two other international agreements, which specifically outlaw abuse and torture of all prisoners.

It is morally wrong to use torture; it was stupid from an intelligence point of view since it is universally acknowledged that intelligence extracted that way is very unreliable; and, since these actions of the United States are now know worldwide, it has greatly increased the danger for U.S. soldiers.

Richardson states: “Soon we will see our kids coming home.” They will no longer be kids; not physically, not emotionally, and most certainly, not psychologically.

One can only hope our government will be there for these returning troops, unlike for the veterans of the first Gulf War, who will need tremendous support of all descriptions for decades to come.

Marcia Kola

Deer Isle