Thanks, President Bush ... not

At the risk of rousing the ire of all the George Bush supporters, may I suggest, as he winds down his presidency, that he deserves additional praise, credit and thanks?

Thank you, President Bush for failing completely to capture or kill the person responsible for planning and funding the Sept. 11 attack on our country, which killed 2,751 innocent people. Thank you, President Bush, for leading our military into a war against a country that did not attack us nor had the means to do so, and which has resulted in the unnecessary death of 4,221 of our brave men and women.

Thank you, President Bush, for ignoring your oath to defend the Constitution by allowing the detention and torture of people as yet uncharged with any crime, by authorizing illegal wiretaps on your fellow citizens without proper cause or due process, and by claiming the Executive Branch is above the laws passed by Congress.

Thank you, President Bush, for installing administrators and advisors unable to comprehend or address our failing economic institutions, Katrina and other natural disasters, and on-going environmental dangers.

May the Lord richly bless President-Elect Obama in his efforts to reverse the last eight years of damage and return our country to its position of respect in the world. And may history effectively judge you and your administration.

Alton Mitchell

Naperville