To the editor:

What are we fighting for? More than 500 Americans have been killed, and more than 3,000 have been injured fighting in Iraq, not to mention the thousands of innocent Iraqis whose lives have been forfeited.

But why? President Bush argues that Iraq posed an “imminent” threat, citing intelligence agencies as the source of this knowledge. However, in a speech at Georgetown University, CIA director George Tenet proclaimed “let me be clear: analysts differed on several important aspects of these programs, and those debates were spelled out in the Estimate. They never said there was an ‘imminent’ threat.” (Transcript of Feb. 5, 2004, speech at Georgetown University.)

President Bush distorted the reality not only to our Congress, but he pulled a blindfold over our community’s eyes. No longer can we allow our nation’s leader to threaten us into action. Our friends, family and loved ones are fighting a war that has yet to be justified. For the first time in American history, the United States attacked another country unprovoked and without the consent of the world.

Our country was founded on the basic democratic principle of accountability. We must hold our leaders accountable for their actions. Otherwise our country is no better than a fascist regime. We cannot allow our leaders to put thousands of soldiers in danger on a whim. We cannot toy with lives! President Bush is no different. He must be held accountable for his actions!

JoJo Longbottom,

Lawrence