I couldn't sit by and not respond to the misguided musings of editorial columnist Patrick McIlheran about Democrats wanting America to lose the war in Iraq in his Oct. 10 Quick Hit.

One overriding truth that McIlheran and other pro-war people seem to not understand is that the Iraq war was lost the minute that the United States dropped the first bombs in Iraq March 19, 2003. It is a war based on the lies of a power- and oil-hungry administration. Iraq with a U.S. puppet government is not victory. Iraq with a permanent U.S. military presence is not victory.

The path of death and destruction is never victorious. McIlheran seems to forget that the insurgents and al-Qaida are not the only ones blowing up Iraq. What does he think is the outcome of countless U.S. bombing raids over four-plus years? It is thousands of Iraqis killed and wounded and homes and infrastructure destroyed.

A foreign policy based on the primacy of military force, of bombing a country to submission and calling it spreading democracy and freedom is true insanity. There is no victory in death, destruction,The american people need to stop this madness!

Until next time time, happy writings!