President Bush may be driving recklessly but Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe handed him the keys: On October 16, 2002, our senators abdicated their constitutional responsibility to Maine’s citizens by voting for the war authorization bill, ceding to the president the right to go to war with Iraq anytime he pleased.

Over four years later, given a belated chance to finally apply legislative brakes to hold the president accountable, both senators refused to support the Joint Resolution for a phased withdrawal of American troops. Rather than pulling him over, they will now “give the surge a chance,” enabling George Bush to hit the accelerator instead.

Some months from now, when she finally switches her vote, Sen. Collins will no doubt depict this pre-election conversion as a Margaret Chase Smith moment, a true profile in courage. But we will see it for what it is, and will not shed a tear when she deservedly loses her political life.

Because senators’ actions belie their words, this is Susan Collins’ war as well as George Bush’s war. Her electoral survival will not feel nearly as important to Mainers as our mourning the lives of those who suffered or died while she found a safe time to extricate herself from a lame duck, lead-foot president.

Dennis Chinoy

Bangor