To the editor:

The Aug. 12 Saturday Column was a tour de force across issues domestic, foreign and otherwise. To assume many Americans do not recognize terrorism threats sells us short. We do recognize the threats. And we question the administration’s judgment, which squandered its post 9-11 goodwill and credibility on an expedition in Iraq – no WMDs found, no Iraqi links to 9-11 established and no ties to direct threats to our shores verified.

Instead of focusing on places where terrorist attacks originated, we are distracted elsewhere.

American citizens have a right and obligation to question leaders when they mislead us and lose focus. Five years after 9-11, and Osama Bin-Laden and some of his top leadership still elude justice. In the interim, we’ve embroiled ourselves in a war while state leaders funding terrorism from Syria and Iran are unchallenged, North Korea works to deploy missiles that can hit the continental United States and our airport domestic security is still leaky.

The writer assumes the war on terrorism is a simple black-and-white topic. It is, in fact, as complex as the many countries and participants that play a role in it.

The recent events in Britain had little to do with Iraq or places where the United States and the United Kingdom have troops – suspects are home-grown, disaffected people trying to inflict damage – good police work and patient decision-making led to exposure.

The writer should do his homework on this topic. Readers deserve better analysis and interpretation than what has been provided.

Scott Bailey,

Lawrence, temporarily living in Maidenhead, Berkshire, United Kingdom