If we are truly fighting in Afghanistan to spread freedom and democracy throughout the world, then Republican congressional leaders should be ashamed of their vicious partisan attacks on Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (“Daschle challenges strategy of terror war,” Page 1, March 1).
Daschle and other Democrats are doing what democracy demands–insisting upon an open debate and discussion before permitting the Republicans to escalate our war against a specific group of terrorists into a wide-ranging series of attacks on foreign governments that are hostile to U.S. interests.
Somehow the Republicans have forgotten the lesson that America learned from the Vietnam War: Our government must be clear in its goals, focused on achievable ends and honest with the American people or we will be unwilling to take on the massive costs and sacrifices of fighting foreign wars.
