In the midst of the hysteria and anger, it is important to remember a few facts:

First, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and their cohorts lied us into war in Iraq. It was not because they made a mistake, it was because an “endless war” in the Middle East would mean endless profits.

When we deposed the Sunni Saddam, we jailed his well-trained army, a Sunni army. Thousands of them controlled their own prisons where they could plan and connect. They are the fighters of ISIS. This is not about Islam, this is a power struggle. And now the Shia of Iraq are friends with the Shia of Iran.

So Bush and Cheney and cohorts got their endless war. They never respected the people they were manipulating enough to think they might bring that war to their enemy’s shores and cities. But they have brains and money and a will to kill.

Don’t be controlled by their fanatical actions, ask questions like where are they getting their money, who is selling them their armaments and who will make “endless profits” off their “endless war?”

We must defend ourselves, but we do not have to be sheep.

Stephen Aucoin

Waterville