LTE - "Nation was never a threat to the U.S."

A letter to the editor published in today's Reno Gazette-Journal:

I recently wrote to Congressman Heller urging him to support legislation calling for a withdrawal of our troops from Iraq. In his response, he wrote:

"I want to begin by stating that most Americans, regardless of their opinion of the situation in Iraq, recognize the need to defeat threats to the United States."

Now there's a statement demonstrating true verbal sleight of hand. Yes, most Americans are against threats to their country. But what does that have to do with Iraq?

Iraq never was a threat to the United States. Unlike Afghanistan, it did not harbor terrorists. It had nothing to do with 9/11.

People are finally seeing this un-American war of aggression for the disaster it was destined to be. A poll last month found that 52 percent of Nevadans opposed plans to send more troops to Iraq.

I'm not saying it's time for Congressman Heller to listen to the majority, because it was the majority that cheered on the invasion. I'm saying history will judge how long it took people to come to their senses. The congressman is way too late to be in the first wave. I hope he isn't in the last.

Ed Cohen, Reno