In response to unsigned letter: United or untied

To call Bush an influential and powerful voice leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

This man, as our president, lied to the American people to go to war with Iraq because they possessed WMD’s, when in fact it was because of their oil and we needed it.

Iraq’s oil will pay for the war, Bush says. When Iraq’s government becomes like ours, it will spread all over the Middle East, he states. The words, “mission accomplished”, that he spoke three months after the invasion of Iraq are still ringing in my ears almost two decades later with nothing accomplished. After all the money we spent and still are, and the number of lives lost, both military and civilian, whatever kind of government Iraq has now is on the verge of collapsing.

No president in my lifetime has caused more human misery, both at home and abroad, than Bush. And at the end of his leadership, he goes on national TV, asking the taxpayers for $700 billion, or our economy will collapse. From this, our economy didn’t recover until 2018. It’s called the lost decade under Bush.

And now, with the Trump administration, if someone tells the truth or points out corruption, they are sidelined or fired. When Trump and his allies hear the truth, they call it fake.

Bush’s message “rise as one” was directed more toward the administration.

James Hodges

Steens

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.