http://www.mainlinelife.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/SingleWeekly;jsessionid=p15LL3TCWTZ8thJ3fc4nLLTH7tyRsnPTrLkYhN3vDgFxSFlx2xmh!1303466337?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_wk_article&r21.pgpath=%2FMAL%2FOpinion&r21.content=%2FMAL%2FOpinion%2FHeadlineList_Story_2317672

To the editor:

John Baxter -- the inveterate right wing exurbanite from the outer
reaches of Bucks County -- apparently cannot distinguish between the
massive expense, the human cost, and the sea-changing ill-fortune which
the Iraq War has wreaked on our country, and the "small wars" like
Grenada and Lebanon -- where presidents had the good sense to admit
their mistakes and to pull out before their presence became a chaotic
and colonial occupation of a foreign land. Baxter claims (Letters,
7/10), in replying to Monique Frugier (Letters, 7/2) "human beings in
government may, in fact, engage in small wars because of what amount to
instinctive gut reactions to international events they never fully
understand and are never able to fully articulate." In Rumsfeld argot,
"Stuff happens!"

The case for Bush administration public deception and self deception is
being made more clear and more thoroughly documented every day -- most
cogently by former members of the administration itself, such as Scott
McClellan and Richard Clarke. Apologists like Baxter do not take
responsibility for reducing our country to a second rate financial
power, and destroying the morale of our armed forces through abusive
stop-loss orders. Apologists like Baxter do not take responsibility for
wasting billions of dollars on unaccountable politically connected
military sub-contractors -- originally hired to save money through
market efficiencies, but whose overruns our grandchildren will surely be
indentured to pay. Apologists like Baxter will not take credit for
Bush's repeated objections to better CAFE mileage standards for motor
vehicles, or for the deregulation which nearly caused the collapse of
our banking system.

Truly, this is an Administration of Vipers, who continue to poison our
democracy, to spoil our democratic heritage, and to beggar our children.
The rich who benefit from such actions will abandon their citizenship to
join their Swiss bank accounts, leaving us to pay for their sins. Do not
be fooled by clever apologists for the few.

Ben Burrows
406 Shoemaker Road
Elkins Park, PA 19027
215-266-2029