The letter "Rally against war necessary" written by Holly Hetrick in Monday's Collegian is nothing more than a biased rant that lacked substantial evidence. The response was in regards to the ethics of "radical far-left" people and their protest of the war. She concludes her 'argument' by stating, "I don't hate America. I just hate what it's become because of far-right conservatives like you." Her lack of knowledge is revealed when she makes the claim that Iraq is worse now than it was prior to the invasion. I dare her to convey this message to the hundreds of thousands who suffered under Saddam Hussein. Would the Muslim women now voting for the first time in the history of Iraq agree that our invasion was a failure? Perhaps Hetrick should inform the families of the fallen that their efforts were in vain and a failure of the war "doomed to failure from the start."

According to a survey conducted in May 2003 on behalf of CNN, 79 percent of Americans thought the war was justified, with or without conclusive evidence of illegal weapons. Hetrick's Nostradamus-esque prediction places her in the 21 percent of Americans who disagreed. It would appear her hindsight vision is indeed 20/20. The unselfish acts of our servicemen and women have kept a draft from being instated and conscientious objectors from being responsible for the liberation of foreign nations less fortunate than us. Being in the Marine Reserves, I, perhaps more so than a typical college student, understand the ramifications of this conflict. I am the one who volunteered and enlisted, a decision I am proud of and believe firmly in to this day.

Although I consider myself a conservative, I am completely accepting of those who want to protest the war because it's their Constitution-given right.

However, I would ask they do so with intellect and factual information. Regardless of your political affiliations, it's hard to argue that the removal of Saddam Hussein from power and the implementation of voting are not for the better of Iraq.

To disagree with the war is your American right. However, to hate America because of the political ideology in place, yet offer no solutions, is suspect at best.