U.S. on right track in Iraq

To the editor:

I have been reading Alan Journet's diatribes against President Bush. He has called our president a liar because Bush and his advisers based their decision to invade Iraq on intelligence generated by both this and other nations and on Saddam Hussein's own admission of his country's possession of weapons of mass destruction. I will take this president's honesty, integrity and moral values any time over those of his predecessor.

Maybe Journet doesn't recognize that U.S. national security has been threatened for a long time by Islamic extremists. Surely 9-11 should have brought this to his attention. Our president at that time declared war on terrorists. It would seem an intelligent person who loved this country and freedom would concur.

There has been heartening rapid progress in the stabilization of Iraq, according to Michael Barone in U.S. News and World Report. The Iraqi Governing Council has adopted a constitution only 11 months after the fall of Saddam, oil production is above target levels, the central bank is functioning, a new currency has replaced the old, 140,000 Iraqi police are trained and on duty, and schools are open. Wages are rising, interest rates are falling, and businesses are opening and hiring. Millions of Iraqis are buying cell phones, TVs and satellite dishes. And the attacks on Americans have diminished.

We are on the right track. We will have to continue to sacrifice for the cause of freedom. Patriots have always risen to the call.

JOHN RUESTER

Jackson