When presidents lie to involve our nation in war they betray the patriotism of our sons and daughters who serve in the military and the sacrifices they and their families make for the benefit of us all. This was seen in what President Johnson did with the Gulf of Tonkin incident and as President Bush has done with weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

President Bush’s lies have ended in 5,000 to 8,000 innocent Iraqi civilians dead from his “shock and awe” bombing; hundreds of U.S. soldiers dead; more than 6,000 U.S. soldiers wounded, many of them severely, and the continuing death and injury that the chaos he created in Iraq is causing.

Bush, with his lies about Iraq’s threat to us, has betrayed us as a nation, created a breeding ground for terrorism, inflamed hatred for us in the world, and is draining multi-billions of dollars from our treasury that could be used for much needed social programs here at home. Bush’s lies and belligerence are a disgrace to our nation and the Christian beliefs he claims to espouse and are a danger to peace throughout the world.

Ron Warner

Bangor