To the editor:

Now that Iraq is “over,” the American press spin machine is gearing up to fictionalize Afghanistan.

Of course, the Iraq where humans live is not “over.” It has barely hit the pause button until our military force is sufficiently reduced that Sunni and Shia can get back to killing each other and both can barbecue those uppity Kurds.

Iran does send us a big hug and a Valentine for destroying their only conceivable rival in the region, but Compassionate Cons were banking on something more crude when they beggared our grandchildren.

If you believe George’s “surge” was successful for us or the Iraqis, please inform yourself beyond that one spun word. Briefly, almost immediately after our invasion of Iraq, it became apparent that the vehemence of internal opposing forces would require an enlightened dictator similar to those we have historically supported in Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cuba, Chile, et cetera. In other words, a butcher.

Our Iraqi puppet du jour, Maliki, will not see 2010 if he stays in Baghdad, but maybe we can put our recent history lesson to work in Afghanistan. If we invest one-tenth the effort we are deploying to kill Afghanis to help them build their country, we may have a shot at winning.

Note, in your dreams our Congressional war machine will stand for such a policy. They are outraged at the idea of building or repairing our own infrastructure.

Jamie McNett

Clinton