Administration's actions led to Americans' distrust

We were reminded vividly (Daily Bee, Sept. 12) of our reflections of horror on Sept. 1, 2001 when we first heard word of the destruction of the World Trade Center tower. But a disturbing comment was attributed to a state senator saying that five years after 9/11 our country's leaders are being second- guessed regarding the fight on terror and the Iraq War.

There is good reason why the purpose of the Iraq War is being questioned by millions of Americans — and it has to do with this administration misleading our people about the reasons for going into Iraq. The tragic events of Sept. 11 had nothing to do with Iraq and, in fact, our own Senate Intelligence Committee has discovered that Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein mistrusted al Qaida as much as we did. The terrorists have come to Iraq because we are there, not the other way around.

Our administration squandered the trust and support of the American people — who were wholeheartedly behind the effort to stamp out the terrorists and find their leader, Osama bin Laden (who is still at large) — when it invaded Iraq. This war, which has caused thousands of American casualties and untold civilian deaths, has brought new life back to an al Qaida movement that had been brought to its knees.

It is no wonder that our leaders are being second-guessed on how this Administration's lack of security coordination between agencies may have contributed to Sept. 11, but also on how they neglected the war on terrorism by invading Iraq and focusing our limited resources on that disastrous undertaking.

JIM RAMSEY

Kootenai