Editor, the Record:

Four thousand soldiers have now died in Iraq for a war based on lies, "cooked" intelligence, and lust for oil. Bush said we had to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction, defeat terrorists and al-Qaida, topple a ruthless dictator, and prevent an imminent threat to our country. We now know there were no weapons of mass destruction; terrorists and al-Qaida were not active in that secular state; and Saddam was not an imminent threat to us.

In addition to the deaths of our soldiers, we have inflicted terrible physical and mental damage on 30,000 more wounded veterans and their families, mobilized terrorists targeting all Americans, and destroyed our standing among world governments and populations. Hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis have lost their lives, while millions more have become refugees.

The war is costing $12 million borrowed dollars an hour, and it is estimated that direct and indirect costs will eventually total 3 trillion dollars. This war diverts funds from improving the lives of our own middle-class, poor and near-poor.

Many of our leaders believe we are not any safer from terrorist attacks around the globe. Corruption is rampant in Iraq and billions of dollars allocated for reconstruction have yielded few significant results as people are lacking electricity, potable drinking water, and basic social services.

The Iraqis have been unwilling to achieve national reconciliation, causing the ever-escalating toll of death and destruction.

A majority of Americans now support a quick, responsible withdrawal of our troops. This is possible if we use the dozens of international organizations that are expert in helping countries build their democratic institutions and keep civil peace.

Whatever one's initial attitude toward the war, uniting now to bring our troops home alive and intact can achieve "mission accomplished"!

Julie weber

East Stroudsburg