I read Erik Steele’s column “Supporting the war I hate” (BDN, July 17). Erik, whom I’ve known since the mid 1980s, is a professional in all aspects of medicine and journalism. However, I was surprised at his comment, “I support our continued presence in Iraq.” As a military medic (1952-1974) and a physician’s assistant (1975-1995), I have also seen the last breath leave a person’s body in war and peace. Gathering shattered young bodies, identifying them, and then packing them in ice and shipping them to a central morgue is forever in your mind. While doing so, the ramifications of war and carnage become real. This person is someone’s son, husband, father or brother. You think of its effect on dozens of people for each casualty.

During my tenure in the military, I was as patriotic and loyal as those before and after me. We trusted our superiors, military and civilian all the way to the commander in chief. We relied on them to use good judgement and wisdom. During the Vietnam War, these virtues waned. Television brought the events to people as they occurred. We learned that reports of progress were erroneous. The generals reported we were winning but needed more troops to finish the job. A buildup to around 500,000 troops was implemented. Then came the big blow, the “Tet Offensive” in which thousands died. All the saturation bombing of the North and in Cambodia did nothing to weaken the opposition, if anything it rallied the enemy. Resentment of the war increased at home, directed against the administration and the military. War tempers our minds and soul. Life can become meaningless; War breeds false hope, loyalty and patriotism. Sound familiar?

I lived in an Arab country for three years. Arab muslims are divided into two major sects, which have been entrenched for thousands of years. Sunnis and Shiites differ on the rightful successor to Mohammed. Why do we think this culture can be democratized?

The Iraqis will have to deal with their problems without outside intervention. Many lives will be lost. Thousands have already been lost with little progress. Our presence serves only to aid recruitment of insurgents – more jihadists. Saddam was a tyrant, no question. However, I doubt there were any al-Qaida or training grounds in Iraq prior to his removal. Now the terrorists are in Iraq, Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan.

I need to touch also upon the upcoming elections. I supported Sen. Susan Collins six years ago, but her partisan stand on the war has changed my view of her. She and Sen. Olympia Snowe have been compared with Margaret Chase Smith. Regarding this war, they don’t compare. Sen. Smith would have reprimanded Bush, just as she did Sen. McCarthy in the 1950s. She would not have given the authority to go to war.

Finally, pulling our troops out of Iraq would:

. Help protect the home front from terrorists. Staying in Iraq will not deter them from striking elsewhere in the world.

. Eliminate the corruption and black-market deals in Iraq. Think of which companies got the contracts to rebuild the country (Haliburton). Millions in profits with little to show for it, all at taxpayers expense.

. Spare thousands of Iraqi and American lives and save billions of dollars.

Edmond L. Sirois of Veazie is a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant.