My purpose in writing is to honor all the young men and women, our troops, who have risked their lives and health to protect the ongoing prosperity the rest of us enjoy. We need to tell them how much we respect the sacrifices they have made, provide health care as they readjust to civilian life and support the families of those who will not return or who have been disabled by their experience.

This is an investment we can make through our tax dollars.

The tragedy is that our young people were not sent to Iraq to protect us. Instead, they were sent by a group of ideologues who believed they could control the politics and oil of the Middle East through military force and who cynically and dishonestly framed their purpose as our defense.

While some of our opposition party also agreed to this war, based on the same evidence used by Colin Powell to try to convince the rest of us, they were not given either existing contradictory information or the countervailing opinion within the intel-ligence community. Honest disagreement shows a democracy that is working well. Dishonest agreement shows a democracy that is not working at all.

Our officials were dishonest. Through that dishonesty, they are responsible for the death and disability of so many of our patriotic young men and women. Impeach them. Vote the bums out. Give them a fair and speedy trial.

Judson Esty-Kendall

Glenburn