To the editor:

Recently we observed D-Day, a remembrance of a time when France was the victim of an invasion by Nazi Germany in World War II. German armies invaded France, defeated them and removed France’s leader from power, installing a puppet government in its place. Since that time, the United States has courageously fought around the world for other victims of invasions, such as North Korea, Vietnam, and Kuwait, to re-establish their own system of government.

How ironic President Bush, who unilaterally chose to invade Iraq, remove its leader from power and install a puppet government to rule, would go to the hallowed battlefields of France and try to somehow connect his recent invasion of Iraq to the French experience.

Yes, there is definitely a correlation between the two, Mr. Bush, and undoubtedly the precise reason France vehemently refused to join the United States in our recent aggression against a smaller sovereign country. Based on firsthand knowledge, France knows how brutal, cruel and deadly an invading army is. Can we blame them for having the courage to stand up to our aggression?

Or should we act juvenile and silly, like Congress, and call them names, rename “french fries,” dump their wines and haughtily consider France “not relevant” for daring to oppose our country’s actions in Iraq? France deserves better. Their courage to take a stand should be respected, not denigrated. After all, isn’t that what true democracy is? Or have we forgotten?

Curtis D. Bennett,

Lawrence