Don't hold your breath waiting for Saddam and Osama to 'become' reasonable

Ellen Goodman wrote a good, fluffy column on March 22 ("Nation has gone from 'let's roll' to rolling the dice in Iraq") along with all of the "plays on words," "phrases" and catchy print bytes. What she sorely falls short of is making a compelling argument for sitting back and, as a nation, sticking our collective heads in the sand concerning the Saddam Husseins and the Osama bin Ladens of the world.

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She, and others like her, can hold their breath all they want to in hopes that Osama, Saddam and others like them will somehow, someway become rational and moral beings. Sorry, it ain't gonna happen and if you think the best way to have dealt with these despots would have been to try and reason and discuss logically why their actions are wrong, again, you are sorely mistaken. There is only one way to deal with lunatics like these and that is why the United States , along with our true allies, is in Iraq and Afghanistan and soon to be in a neighborhood near your friendly al-Qaida sleeper cell.

Ms. Goodman and other dovish war protesters surely have the right to disagree and protest the way this is being confronted, and they surely have the right to collectively hold their breath and hold peace rallies, while hoping that everything turns out all right but I must say this: America's destiny will be decided by the ones who stand the hell up and take decisive and deliberate action against the tyrants of this world. Sticking our heads in the sand and hoping that it "all just goes away" ain't going to cut it, especially if you want to continue living your life the way that you have come to know it.

Thank God that President George W. Bush (I didn't vote for him), the military leaders and courageous soldiers realize this and are doing something about it. Roll of the dice? Gambling? Maybe. Sticking our heads in the sand and doing nothing about it? Now that's a sure bet. Forgive me if I sit that one out.

David B. Caudle, Grovetown, Ga.