President Bush’s recent TV speech once again strove to link our invasion of Iraq with Sept. 11, 2001. No longer do we hear about stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, but only about defeating terrorists. Lost in all this is the history of the U.S.’ attempts to control events in Iraq long before Sept. 11 in hopes of making Iraq, like Saudi Arabia, a safe haven for American oil interests. Then we were willing to support Saddam with nuclear plant technology, arms and money. He became a “madman” to be removed only after it was clear he would not go along with U.S. interests.

It is not unpatriotic to suggest that this backdrop is in actuality the reason we are now in Iraq.

William Cutler, Auburn