George,

Your interesting posts on Veterans' Day and on the flag point us to the deep divisions in our country.

More than ever, I am reminded of Dr. Johnson's aphorism that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. He was condemning scoundrels, of course, not patriotism; and, my goodness, we have a superabundance of them abroad in the land, not least in the governing councils of the majority party.

Back in the olden days when I was a teen-aged squad leader in a mortar section of a weapons platoon we didn't have this demeaning competition for patriot standing and the flag belonged happily to us all. Now, alas, it is coming increasingly to be the symbol of choice for those who support Bush's adventurism in Afghanistan and Iraq. And, according to the president and his regime, you are not a patriot, you do not support our troops, unless you support his foreign policy. Which, of course, is the mark of a tyrannical spirit, not that of a patriot.

We "veterans against the war," or whatever we are called, believe that the best way to support our troops (about whom we think we care a lot more deeply and honestly than the Bush regime) is to make apologies for the reckless unilateralism that got us into this morass and then win the cooperation and genuine partnership of the United Nations and NATO.

This is the way to protect the lives of our troops, help estbalish a workable government in Iraq, and bring the men and women home alive and whole. And perhaps, just perhaps, it may be the way to prevent further disastrous attempts to remake the Middle East in an image that suits us.

Paul Gaston (electronic mail, November 13, 2003)