The Guest column entitled “Being naive will not stop madness in Iraq” in the Dec. 22 Current is the epitome of naivety.

To have freed 25 million Iraqis from one of the most ruthless dictators of all time trumps any notion of naivety. Has the writer forgotten that some 60-odd years ago we allowed a similar dictator to slaughter six million Jews? Adolph Hitler was ultimately vanquished by the United States, along with the support of its allies, all at a huge and sacrificial cost of lives, tens of thousands and just one invasion.

Along with a few other local anti-administration Bush haters, the vitriol goes on unchecked. It’s time that most citizens refuse to allow the absurd accusations as presented in this article to go unchecked and unanswered.

One can only assume that much of the hateful rhetoric is gleaned from the anti-American websites such as those funded by George Soros and other like-minded anti-Americans. The drumbeat of the hate Bush and Bush policies is loud, persistent, shrill and, yes, hackneyed and inane. What is their point? Is there no saturation level of this malicious baggage of hate? Those in our society who hate the most almost always seem to be among the first to push for hate legislation, often to satisfy their lust for controlling an issue or prefabricated societal ill.

Almost every assumption or opinion in this article is hashed over, regurgitated misinformation from the likes of George Soros, Michael Moore, Howard Dean and even John Kerry, all of whom most level headed American citizens deplore. How about throwing the following fables in next week’s trash!

• Naivety of American people to strike back at anything Arab.

• Establish a U. S. friendly oil-rich state that advances neo-conservative dream of economic dominance.

• Present day situation parallels U. S. experience in Vietnam.

• Withdrawal from Iraq is the only sane avenue left for us.

• Tax cuts for the wealthy are insane.

• Slow response in hurricane ravaged states due to weak national defense.

• 60,000 soldiers may be killed in Iraq.

• To our soldiers, we need them home to fight the real war on terror.

Now, let’s dispense with these outlandish misstatements and tell the truth.

Much of the Vietnam stress and disrespect for returning veterans was media driven, foisted upon its citizens, causing a violent cultural attitude permeated throughout universities of that era, the sadistic mindset of the 1960s.

Volunteers comprise almost 100 percent of our military who want to come home from Iraq and not go back.

Let’s mix a few facts in with the above and outrageously preposterous positions.

Most American military personnel who go back to Iraq after a tour of duty there want to go back.

Most Vietnam vets are not suffering from bitterness, guilt and post-traumatic disorders. Most have, on the other hand, assumed responsible roles in a grateful society for their sacrifices.

Most Americans are not naive about the necessity of crushing the Saddam Hussein regime and staying the course until the new government can fend for itself.

The only parallels of the Vietnam and Iraq wars are that, yes, they were indeed wars; Vietnam to stop the spread of communism, Iraq and Afghanistan to thwart terrorism, bringing peace to the Middle East.

Immediate withdrawal from Iraq is not a viable option. Cut-and-run is not the American way. Remember 1776, 1918 and 1945.

Maybe one day the “tax cuts for the wealthy” will be correctly portrayed that the ones who pay the most should rightfully get some of their own tax money back. Can’t you understand that? Perhaps you would rather perpetuate this myth of disinterest.

Slow response following Hurricane Katrina had nothing – zilch, to do with our national defense. Although there was no shortage of ineptness, there hasn’t been one scintilla of evidence that our Department of Defense was to blame.

Another old chestnut that a U. S. friendly oil-rich state advances dreams of economic dominance, a neo-conservative view (just out of curiosity what is a neo-conservative?) Is it the opposite of neo-liberal? Sorry, but who cares!

Roughly 60,000 soldiers could ultimately be killed in Vietnam. Did General Wesley Clark add this to his repertoire of misinformation? If so, maybe exaggerations like this convinced President Clinton to fire him during the Balkan wars.

When it comes to terrorism, some folks just don’t get it and perhaps never will, until it’s too late.

It seems to me that a strong and united American citizenry can only enhance and improve its image by shedding this over-indulgence in character assassination, demonizing, distortion of facts, personal vilification and defamatory tirades against one’s opponents.

Coincidentally, a major television network, is, as we speak, holding interviews with former President Clinton and President George W. Bush, who I’m delighted to say are agreeing that hateful tactics of smear and malicious slander is un-American and, yes, unpatriotic.

Harry L. Wiley is a Scarborough resident and Korean War combat veteran.