To the editor:

This is a letter for all of Lawrence, but especially to those who promoted the war without a shred of evidence to support your position and who, at the same time, did not serve in uniform or have a family member in uniform.

This statement, for some reason, will be deemed controversial, but it still must be addressed. A horrible problem we have in this country is that people out of uniform get to decide when those in uniform go to war. Sure, this happens in other democracies, but we don’t see them invading countries at will today, as we have been.

Whether it’s a Washington politician or a Kansas University student, the people who pushed the troops into war still go home and sleep quite soundly and comfortably every night, while the war has raged, as Americans and Iraqis have suffered from incurable wounds in Baghdad and Fallujah. At least you, who made the “right” decision for others to risk their lives and kill and die for a cause we now know had zero merit, will rest well, as your fellow Americans in uniform, who actually put their money where their mouths were, fear for their lives every second of every day.

Not to mention the Iraqis, who despite their insane use of violence at least are willing to risk everything for their beliefs, as opposed to those who wish to thrust other human beings out the door, while the phantom WMDs dance in your head.

Chris White,

Lawrence