When Andrew Criado is not busy dictating Republican Party talking points to the Collegian, does he ever have a chance to actually fact check ("Mounting evidence proves Iraq's connection to al Qaeda, despite liberals' denials," Nov. 20)? The leaked "Feith memo" that supposedly "outs" the Iraq/Al Qaeda connection has been thoroughly debunked in many places and is considered unreliable by the CIA and our allies' intelligence services.

If the threat of Saddam was and is so terrifying and "imminent," why doesn't Criado go man the barricades? Shooting down strawman caricatures seems much easier than shooting terrorists in Iraq.

The far-right wingers such as Criado, who were against both nation building and being the world's policeman when there was a Democrat in office (did that make them the traitors then?) now seem to be enthralled at Bush's attempt at Empire. Maybe they should join his new legions and fight the good fight for Bush and Halliburton.

Criado may soon get his chance, as the Bush administration floats "bring back the draft" trial balloons in the press. This time, unlike Vietnam, there won't be exceptions for college students, so Criado can't follow GOP heroes Cheney (5 deferments) and Bush (defending the skies of Texas from the Viet Cong when he wasn't AWOL). Regardless of the outcome of Bush's disastrous Iraq policy, dissention of that policy is not treason, no matter how much bullying Republicans would like it to be.