My LTTE -- should I trim it before sending it?

When I start writing an LTTE, I have a tendency to expand it into more than one concise theme. I've pretty much tied them together here, but the letter may be too long for publication. Any suggestions?
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No Accountability for Iraq

Terrorist violence in Iraq keeps getting worse, more than two years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. President Bush says it’s better to fight them over there than over here, but most of the violence has erupted from sectarian animosity between Shia and Sunni and from resistance to the occupation. Al Qaeda has taken advantage of opportunities in Iraq that did not exist before the invasion. Zarqawi is recruiting and training the next generation of battle-hardened jihadists. If not for the chaos unleashed by the war and by the failures to anticipate and plan for its aftermath, most of the people now engaged in terrorist activities would have posed no threat to the United States or to our troops. Non-existent weapons of mass destruction also posed no threat.

How did we get into this mess? Commissions appointed by the president, with no authority to investigate how his administration used prewar intelligence on Iraq, have pinned the blame on the intelligence community. Former CIA Director George Tenet’s “slam dunk” remark has been used to absolve the president of all blame. Surely Mr. Tenet, for making a statement of such certainty when the intelligence was weak and the consequences so great, will be held accountable. And what of Paul Bremer, whose fatal decisions as head of the occupational authority set the stage for the current violence? President Bush awarded them both the prestigious Medal of Freedom.

This president had his “accountability moment” last November. His Secretary of Defense has been retained for a second term. The Deputy Secretary of Defense, who was the intellectual architect of this “preemptive” war, was nominated for president of the World Bank. The president’s White House Counsel, whose legal briefs contributed to violations of international law in the treatment of prisoners, is now Attorney General of the United States. The National Security Advisor, who failed to heed warnings of an imminent terrorist attack before 9/11, was promoted to Secretary of State. Ultimately, it is the American people who will be held accountable – including those of us who are utterly appalled at the lack of accountability for plunging our nation into such a costly a war that is causing more – not less – terrorism.

Terrorist violence in Iraq keeps getting worse. Al Qaeda has taken advantage of opportunities in Iraq that did not exist before the invasion. Zarqawi is recruiting and training the next generation of battle-hardened jihadists. If not for the chaos unleashed by the war and by the failures to anticipate and plan for its aftermath, most of the people now engaged in terrorist activities would have posed no threat to the United States or to our troops. Non-existent weapons of mass destruction also posed no threat.

How did we get into this mess? Commissions appointed by the president, with no authority to investigate how his administration used prewar intelligence on Iraq, have pinned the blame on the intelligence community. Despite weak intelligence and grave consequences, former CIA Director George Tenet’s “slam dunk” remark has been used to absolve the president of all blame. And what of Paul Bremer, whose fatal decisions as head of the occupational authority set the stage for the current violence? President Bush awarded them both the prestigious Medal of Freedom.

This president had his “accountability moment” last November. His Secretary of Defense has been retained for a second term. The Deputy Secretary of Defense, who was the intellectual architect of this “preemptive” war, was nominated for president of the World Bank. The president’s White House Counsel, whose legal briefs contributed to violations of international law in the treatment of prisoners, is now Attorney General of the United States. The National Security Advisor, who failed to heed warnings of an imminent terrorist attack before 9/11, was promoted to Secretary of State. Ultimately, it is the American people who will be held accountable – including those of us who are utterly appalled at the lack of accountability for plunging our nation into such a costly a war that is causing more – not less – terrorism.

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(I just made a couple off-the-cuff changes/deletions.) Excellent LTTE! :thumbsup:

But my first goal in the letter was to debunk the "better to fight them over there than over here" nonsense.

I'll probably limit it to that theme or switch to the accountability theme -- or send it in its entirety and hope for publication. If I'm going to trim it, I'll trim it at least by half.

I did a post like yours on another thread and people just ran away from it, you want to hit people hard with the concept that we are all
accountable if nothing is done about Iraq, GITMO, etc. Once I edited it down to the bare bones, people started to respond.

No Accountability for Iraq

Terrorist violence in Iraq keeps getting worse, more than two years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. President Bush says it’s better to fight them over there than over here. Zarqawi is recruiting and training the next generation of battle-hardened jihadists.

How did we get into this mess? Ultimately, it is the American people who will be held accountable – including those of us who are utterly appalled at the lack of accountability for plunging our nation into such a costly a war that is causing more – not less – terrorism.