I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief at Rick Smith's response ("Liberals ignore facts about terror attacks" Thurs., Nov. 18) to the rather extreme views recently espoused by Doug Morris ("U.S. should re-evaluate its actions as terrorist" Thurs., Nov. 18). It's sad that there still are millions of Americans that draw a direct link between the war in Iraq and the war on Al Qaeda.

The "War on Terror" was indeed brought to us by Al Qaeda through Sept. 11, the USS Cole bombing, as well as several other terrorist attacks on Americans.

However, through the use of a new tactic termed "preemption," the United States did start the war in Iraq. Whether one considers it justified or not, there is no argument over how the conflict in Iraq began.

The "unfortunate collateral damage" resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians in Iraq has in no way secured the future of the United States.