In responding to my Jan. 24, 2006 letter to the editor, Kevin King pointed out the inaccuracy of one of my statements; and rightly so. I apologize for stating that the Democrats “voted to kill the Patriot Act” when I should have said, “worked to delay or stop the extension of.”

The point of Mr. King’s inaccuracy in stating that “each and every Democratic senator wanted and voted to extend the Patriot Act” (Senator Feingold voted against extension) is moot now that the president has signed it into law and I will not belabor that small inaccuracy. Everyone makes mistakes.

It is well known that combat veterans have run, and are now running for political office, but there was no need for Mr. King to point out the military history of various Democrats in his response to my letter. My dispute is not with their patriotism, but with their political views and irresponsible rhetoric that gives hope to the terrorists of the world. In my letter I was criticizing those Democrats for their actions as politicians, never as veterans.

I respect everyone’s right to agree or disagree with the policies of our President, but no matter how it’s spun, to advocate a cut-and-run policy in the middle of a war, leaving the Iraqis with no protection against the terrorists, is defeatism.

If the sectarian violence in that country escalates into a civil war, I believe that our troops should not take an active part and I am for a gradual withdrawal from Iraq, but not before its government is firmly entrenched and in control of their own security.

Ralph Suchomel
Peachtree City, Ga.

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