I am tired of all the trash talk about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every talk show host, every “expert” retired military officer paid to offer an opposing view, any elected official or Hollywood star that can find a microphone and camera will find a way to trash the President, the Administration and the basic principles of the United States.

On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin Germany, well within earshot of the people in East Berlin on the other side of the Berlin Wall, and challenged Mikhail Gorbachev to end communism. President Reagan’s words are embedded in our hearts and mind as the words that marked the demise of communism.

President Reagan stated, “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

“Tear down this wall.” President Reagan said these words with such great confidence. Mr. Gorbachev knew that behind these words delivered by President Reagan was the “will” of the American people and all the power and might of the strongest, most well-funded military in the world. We were truly a “United” States that stood behind our democratically elected leader in the fight of communism regardless of political party.

In 1987 Americans knew that the opposite of freedom was communism; 30 years later with communism a mere memory, today in 2007, the opposite of freedom is no longer communism, it is now “terrorism.”

President Bush speaks with confidence against terrorism; however his words are not backed by the will of the American people. His confidence is downgraded by negative remarks of opposing political parties, retired military officers, and other self-proclaimed experts who are “paid” to offer opposing views.

Some of our elected officials have publicly declared our defeat; others are offering the terrorists a phased surrender by trying to force the President’s hand by establishing a timetable through legislation for withdrawal.

Wake up, America. You need to separate the facts from the news outlets’ opinions. We the people of the “United” States of America must unite behind our President at the wall and show those who oppose freedom that the will of the American people is behind our President.

We must go forth from here united, determined that what a great general said a few years ago is true: “There is no substitute for victory, Mr. President,” said General Douglas MacArthur as quoted by Ronald Reagan at the closing of the 1976 Republican Convention.

Paul Post

Fayetteville, Ga.