Editor, the News-Herald:

Tuesday night we heard more &uot;happy talk&uot; from President Bush. Once again the president tried to convince an increasingly skeptical American public that going to war in Iraq was necessary in order to keep terrorism off our doorstep.

He mentioned September 11th no less than five times as if somehow we still believe Saddam Hussein was connected to that tragic day. The President repeated his claim that the insurgency will be outlasted. He assures us &uot;victory&uot; in Iraq will come.

One has to wonder how in touch with reality the president and his cabinet are these days when the American people know differently. The war was based on lies and deceptions (if you’re still somehow unconvinced, read the Downing Street memos).

The insurgency grows stronger by the day and our brave men and women are dying in far greater numbers then even a year ago at this time. It is time for a responsible timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. The U.S. occupation is exacerbating the problem. We need to turn over the training of Iraqi forces and the rebuilding of Iraq to the international community. And we must renounce permanent military bases in Iraq because that angers the Iraqi people.

America needs true leaders to step forward and level with the American people. Our soldiers deserve no less. Enough is enough already.

Gregg R. Libbey

Suffolk