As reported by the BDN on Dec. 19, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that “failure in Iraq would be a ‘calamity’ that would haunt the Unites States for years.”

He is mistaken. The calamity stated on the day President Bush sent troops into Iraq. We are in the nightmare now, and it will continue to haunt us – and worse – for years to come.

None of it is the fault of our excellent and patriotic troops, who have been doing what they should, which is following the orders of their civilian commander in chief. They have made every kind of effort there could be: fighting, befriending Iraqi citizens, helping them where they could, and constantly learning new tactics in the field. They have successfully done their duty. They are not defeated, and they can leave in honor, as soon as the order comes.

In the meantime, in some way, they must protect themselves, each other, and the Iraqi civilians as much as is possible under the circumstances, and they must be called home.

They will not have been defeated. For the country, there was never any “victory” to be had. We lost when George Bush took office.

Judith dePonceau

Dover-Foxcroft