I’ve read a number of letters to the editor recently that accuse those who ask for timelines, or a plan to get out of Iraq, as people who want “to lose the war.” This confuses me because I don’t know why we are there.

If our cause was to eliminate weapons of mass destruction, we won (reason No. 1). If it was toppling Sadam, we’ve won (reason No. 2). If we wanted a democratic government in Iraq, well, we have that, too (reason No. 3).

If the administration will define what we are trying to achieve, then we can get on with the discussion of winning and losing. But until we know the objective, those words have no meaning.

Denis Bergeron, Auburn