Finish the job

"America the Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner." For my 56 years of life, that's what I've sung. After nine years fighting a war in Afghanistan that we failed to finish, America no longer looks like the land of the free or the home of the brave. Her beauty is marred by fallen towers and rubble from a sneak attack. Osama bin Laden (who we were supposed to be going after in Afghanistan) hides in Kashmir, and we let Pakistan tell us we cannot tread there to capture our enemy. America has become the little skinny kid turning our milk money over to the school bully every day.

Where is Stormin' Norman, MacArthur or Patton. Would Roosevelt, Kennedy or Reagan have backed off if the bully said, "No you can't go there"? No. Rangers, Green Berets or the 101st Airborne would have introduced them to the toughest kid on the block. America, we need to finish this or bring our troops home. And if Pakistan has a problem with our invasion of the land where Bin Laden hides, go to the end of the line at the complaint department and take a number. I believe this is America the beautiful, the land of the brave and the home of the free; she just needs to get back on course.

DAVID MCNEELY, Scott City