Dear Editor:

I have read with interest letters in your newspaper from Mr. M. Wiplich. One was a response to a recent letter from a writer who supported the ongoing war in Iraq. Two things are painfully obvious. First, Mr. Wiplich is a passionate advocate of ending the war in Iraq. Second, and somewhat disturbing, his reasoning is based on the empty rhetoric and unfounded accusations of the anti-war left. So, I will take this opportunity to disabuse Mr. Wiplich of his erroneous beliefs.

It has been proven that Al Qaeda has a major presence in Iraq and, through recovered documents, has been shown to view Iraq as its best opportunity to establish a new powerbase since they have been put on the run in Afghanistan. Second, while it is true that no Iraqi nationals participated in the Sept. 11 attacks, more than enough evidence has been found to show that the previous Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein provided material support to the terrorists. It has been shown that Mohammed Atta, the leader on the ground here in the U.S. for the 19 terrorists, met at least once with representatives of the Hussein government. Furthermore, more recently discovered documents and intercepted communiqués show that the Al Qaeda leadership view their organizations' condition as dire due to the beating they have taken at the hands of our military, our allies and the very people of Iraq who wish to claim their country as their own again.

Third, regarding the claims by Mr. Wiplich that the military readiness and morale are deteriorated, while obstructionist Democrats in Congress will try anything to defund the war effort while also trying to look patriotic ("I voted for the war before I voted against it,) Mr. Wiplich seems intent on using cherrypicked interviews of disgruntled military personnel by the mainstream media as the basis for his claim, which ignores the statements of our military personnel who are blogging regularly from the front.

Fourth, Mr. Wiplich refers to an "inept Iraqi government," which seems to indicate that Mr. Wiplich is of that group of people who demand instant perfection, while ignoring history. It took our own government more than 10 years of peacetime work following the war for independence to draft a constitution that all of the states could agree on.

With regard to the reference by Mr. Wiplich about "jingoistic phrases and attitudes," this is sadly a tired crutch statement that the anti-war crowd chooses to trot out and yell at the top of their lungs when confronted with facts.

As for the contentions that the war has been responsible for collapsing bridges, deteriorating roads, failing schools and over-priced health care…these conditions existed long before the current president was inaugurated and to believe that they suddenly happened is sophistry in its worst form.

Mr. Wiplich takes exception to the fact that the candidates are not talking enough about the Iraq war. To this I say to the misguided Mr. Wiplich: Saying hope and change over and over again while advocating surrender and retreat is not discussing the issues nor is it a policy for national defense. Sadly Mr. Wiplich and people who would agree with him are intent on snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Robert Carbone, West Babylon