Tibor Machan in the Register’s Orange Grove column ("Sorry, Mr. President, we won't shut up", Nov. 21) states the Libertarian case against the war in Iraq. The issues raised by President Bush in his complaints about Democrats' rewriting history are ignored by Machan, but we are used to that. I am not a Libertarian (with a capital L) because they seem to believe that if we just mind our own business and don't antagonize anyone, we will be left alone to accumulate wealth and live in peace. The fact is, there is no international law and no international police force. This nation's first war began with the statement, "Millions for defense; not one cent for tribute." That was 1801. I assume that Mr. Machan would have opposed that war, as well.

The complaint made by the administration, and ignored by Mr. Machan, is that Democrats voted for the war (a few quibble that they voted to go to the United Nations, but read the debates and that is shown to be phony), and now they want to quit and go home. If they had opposed the administration in the vote, they would have a better case, and we would not have invaded Iraq. They try to justify their demand to surrender, for that is what it would be, by alleging the administration lied. Bush's failure to rebut this canard has given it credence and diminished his reputation for truth-telling. If the critics would be honest in their criticism, no one would tell them to "shut up."

Michael Kennedy, M.D.
Mission Viejo