I am writing in response to Andrew Criado's recent column ("Mounting evidence proves Iraq's connection to al Qaeda, despite liberals' denials," Nov. 20). His only support for this assertion was a memo sent to the Senate by Douglas J. Feith, Pentagon official and member of the hawkish, neo-conservative think-tank, Project for a New American Century.

The Department of Defense has already issued a statement dismissing this memo, in which it said that no conclusions could be drawn about the relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda.

The same statement also said, "Individuals who leak or purport to leak classified information are doing serious harm to national security; such activity is deplorable and may be illegal."

A phony memo coupled with several paragraphs of irrelevant and unnecessary name-calling is hardly what I'd call support for the assertion made in the headline.