I would like to comment on a recent letter by Kathleen Conway (Daily Sentinel February 8, 2008). In her letter Ms. Conway asked why the inexplicable difference in reaction to the scandals of the Clinton presidency and the actions of the current Administration. Clinton was impeached for having an affair with an intern and subsequently lying about it. Conservatives have turned Clinton’s impeachment into American political lore (as if it’s unusual for a politician to lie). Could the conservative fervor over Clinton’s behavior simply be due to the fact that a president lied? Evidently not. In a study by the Center for Public Integrity and the Fund for Independence in Journalism and released by the Associated Press January 22, 2008 it was documented that the Bush administration lied 935 times in the two years leading up to the invasion of Iraq. The study concluded that the Bush Administrations lies were part of a concerted effort to lead the country into war with Iraq. Where is the outcry from conservatives? And what were the consequences of these lies? As Ms. Conway pointed out, Mr. Clinton suffered some embarrassment while no real damage was done to the Country. On the other hand, the Bush Administration’s lies have cost the Country hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of American lives in an unnecessary war. For this and other damage done to the Country by the current administration I completely agree with Ms. Conway that Bush and Cheney should be, at the very least, impeached. Finally, I have a question for conservatives (e.g., McCain and Romney supporters) who claim we must stay in Iraq until the war on terrorism is won. How exactly will we know when the war has been won? Give me some actual benchmarks not just political platitudes such as, “When the U.S is safe from terrorism.” Not even a fifth grader would believe that and it will be our current fifth graders who will be fighting your war if it continues as the White House proposes.

JOHN JENKINS
Grand Junction

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