James Carignan wrote an astounding opinion piece in the Sun Journal calling into question and denying practically every possible reason for going to war against Iraq (Sept. 21).

“Reality was reconstructed to fit a political and ideological agenda. The leaders of the country, in short, lied to the American people.”

In the limited space allowed, it is impossible to refute every point and assertion made in Carignan’s lengthy article or discuss anything in depth.

Suffice it to say that we have to consider the greater picture of world events here.

We are presently engaged in a titanic struggle between the Islamist-fascist totalitarian world view and Western civilization representing the ideas of freedom, liberty, tolerance, religious freedom and human dignity.

This is not a fight against the religion of Islam, but a defense against the Islamist terrorists who have hijacked a large part of the Islamic world.

They have vowed in their teachings to kill all Americans, Jews and infidels.

For this, they are fanatically willing to give their lives as suicidal, homicide bombers expecting eternal, pleasurable rewards in paradise.

And although the Iraqi Baathist regime is a secular, nationalist, socialist and totalitarian movement, Saddam Hussein is a practicing Muslim and has, in word and deed, expressed his deep hatred for America and the West.

He has definitely connections to Islamist terrorists and is a proven danger to the civilized world.

For President George W. Bush not to have acted would have been irresponsible and a “dereliction of duty.”

Klaus D. Kuck, Lewiston