Letter to the Editor

End self-deception over Iraq

To the editor:The Iraq war was based on a series of deceptions. The question of Iraq is a question of the nature of lies. There are only two things you can do with a lie: fight it and admit it. Neither option can turn a lie into the truth. Fighting the lie begets more lies and intractability. Admitting the lie, expressing true remorse and contrition draws from the desert of deception a drop of wisdom.

The people of America have sent its soldiers to build a castle of idealism on the shifting sands of that desert. The soldier's duty is to place stone upon stone no matter how many times the foundation falters. It is our duty to decide our direction.

The people of America should end our self-deception, show true remorse and contrition and ask the nations of the world for assistance and cooperation. Iraq's neighbors must be enlisted. Regardless, at some hopefully greatly reduced level, our sons and daughters will remain in Iraq indefinitely. They will act as a barrier to Iraq's neighbors from starting a regional war. They will endeavor to limit and mitigate the meddling of Iraq's neighbors in its internal affairs. They will attempt to lessen the civil strife when and where possible. They will, in short, try to keep things from worse. That is in the interest of keeping Americans safe. That is worth it. They will not, however, turn a lie into the truth.

JARED TONEY, Cape Girardeau