Re “ASI let down students, troops,” April 28: CampusRepublican activist Joseph Patterson reports his”disgust” with the Associated Students Inc. board ofdirectors for rejecting a Republican-sponsored resolutionproclaiming so-called “support for troops.” Americancitizens of all political persuasions always hope that bloodshed isprevented and that the soldiers will remain alive and safe.

Perhaps, though, like me, some ASI board members perceived thatthis Republican effort is far more about drumming up support forthe faltering Bush war policy than it is about concern for thewelfare of the soldiers.

Some of us believe that the decision of the Bush administrationto invade and occupy Iraq is responsible for the more than 700soldiers’ deaths in that country. The alleged hundreds oftons of “weapons of mass destruction” do not exist,representing yet another monumental intelligence blunder onBush’s watch.

Bush’s war policy has killed hundreds of Americans andmany thousands of Iraqis, including many women, children and oldmen, and has made America less and not more safe. Far from bringingdemocracy, the Bush administration has proven to be no friend tothe Iraqi people’s aspirations.

The best way to support our nation’s soldiers is to firetheir reckless commander-in-chief and to drive from power the gangof neo-conservatives who sent them there.

David Diebel

Graduate Student

Economics