Abuse Requires Immediate Withdrawal

Response to Chicago Tribune's "GIs: Beating of Prisoners Was Routine" The newest reports of abuse in Iraq by American soldiers is just one more reason why we need to bring our troops home now (“GIs: Beating of prisoners was routine,” Sept. 24).

The Iraqi people are not going to remember how the United States rid them of Saddam Hussein. What they will remember is what happened after, how they had to deal with insurgency attacks that killed hundreds on some days, how they had to deal with an infrastructure destroyed by American bombing campaigns that meant they did not have electricity during the sweltering summers, and how they had to deal with being abused by the soldiers whom they should have been able to trust.

The longer Bush remains in Iraq, the harder it is going to be for Americans to argue they did a good thing for the people of that country.