Democrats don't have monopoly on wars

If George Kocan (Jan. 8 Fence Post) knows his history, he should know that it was a Republican president — Abe Lincoln — who was responsible for 600,000 casualties in our Civil War. The number exceeds the number of casualties in all wars with Democratic presidents.

The southern states left the Union during President Buchanan's presidency. They established a republic with Jefferson Davis as president. Lincoln invaded a sovereign nation, just as President Bush — another Republican president — did. Democrats do not have a monopoly on wars.

Chuck Coletta

Lombard