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MONDAY February 23, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels January 24, 2004 The war may get old, but deaths are still fresh The non-partisan and esteemed Carnegie Endowment for International Peace concluded recently that the Bush administration "systematically misrepresented" intelligence assessments to the American people. Secretary of State Colin Powell conceded that he had no "smoking gun, concrete evidence" that Saddam Hussein ever had any ties to al Qaeda, a concession that contradicts Vice President Cheney's attempts to link Hussein with al Qaeda. Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, fired by Bush for opposing tax cuts, reports that soon after taking office the Bush administration began planning for a regime change in Iraq. He says further that Bush officials never questioned why a war against Iraq was necessary but only discussed how to bring it about. Just recently the Bush administration quietly withdrew a military team of 400 members who have scoured Iraq for the biological and chemical weapons cited by Bush as the immediate reason for going to war. So, at best Bush acted on spurious intelligence; at worst, he lied to the American people and the Congress of the United States for reasons that are still unclear. Yes, the war did rid the world of a really bad guy, but there are more heinous dictators who actually have WMDs. And before you say, "Yeah, we've heard all this before - get over it," why not ask the husbands, wives and children of the 500 American soldiers who have died in this phony war and the thousands who have been crippled and maimed for life, ask them how they feel. Better still, ask the husbands, wives and children of the thousands of innocent Iraqis who have been killed, crippled and maimed. Should we get over it? I don't think so. George W. Bush and his administration must be held accountable for this "war of choice," as the San Francisco Chronicle editorialized recently. Marshall Umpleby Ashland Donors helped 1,469 families fill their bellies Thank you to everyone who participated in the McBarrel's of Food Canned Food Drive for ACCESS and Josephine County Food Share. Customers brought a combined total of 1,469 pounds of food to their local McDonald's which will help provide over 1,469 meals for hungry families. We appreciate those in our community who desire to make this a wonderful place to live and are proud to be a vehicle for their compassion. Doug, Kellie and Gene Hill Ashland Approval of 30 will only cause more tax hikes What do you do with a spoiled child having a temper tantrum? Do you reach for the carrot - give him ice cream and buy him a $150 pair of tennis shoes, or bring out the stick - send him to bed without dinner and restrict his activities? How long till the next tantrum, if you use the carrot? He is spoiled, and knows how to play you. A very spoiled child in Salem is screaming and threatening to burn your home down if you don't buy him "Air Jordans." Meanwhile, you are fretting over the house payment and keeping food on the table. This week, the governor got out the matches, when he said he might not call a special session if Measure 30 fails. What do you with a child like that? Take the matches away, be firm - no "Air Jordans," sell his "Play Station 2" and lovingly be sure he doesn't starve or freeze. If he burns down your home, that is arson - criminals are punished. A year ago, the governor stated "raising taxes is not leadership." Giving bonuses to department heads, while threatening cuts to essential services, is mismanagement. Gray Davis did not fulfill his fiduciary duty. What happened to him? Yes on Measure 30 is asking for more taxes and waste - it won't stop here. A no vote is a message to our legislators: time to get their act together. If the governor and legislators refuse to cut the fat in agencies and commissions and do not start with cuts at the top, they will be burning down our home. Punishment can be administered in the November elections and a recall. Lyn C. Horstemeier Ashland DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: A new improved archive search is coming! Look for it in mid-February! .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - ODOT Road Cams