Kerry & the war

Commonweal, Nov 5, 2004 by Gwendolyn O'Connor

I have read with interest your articles on the presidential race. I have talked with many conscientious Catholics about the election and they have expressed the opinion that, despite John Kerry's unwavering support for abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research, they just can't vote for George W. Bush "because of the war." What I don't understand is what they expect Kerry to do differently in Iraq. A Kerry presidency would not turn back the clock and "undo" the war. On the contrary, he intends to send even more American troops to Iraq, in contrast to Bush's plan, already in progress, to train Iraqi troops to take responsibility for their own country and let American troops come home as soon as possible, my son included. In short, a Kerry presidency would do little to end the conflict in Iraq while doing significant damage to efforts to protect the unborn. I fear that some who plan to vote for Kerry only want to "punish" Bush rather than consider the potential long-term consequences of a Kerry victory.

GWENDOLYN O'CONNOR

Indianapolis, Ind.