President Bush has made America safer

I am writing in response to Elaine Kalcsics Sept. 17 letter, which asked, "How can anyone defend Bush?" While President Bush has not been a perfect president by any stretch of the imagination and while there are some areas where I have disagreed, I cannot sit back and listen to people attack him and not be challenged.

On Sept. 11, 2001, the world changed forever. My view of the world changed and President Bush's view of the world changed as well.

Since that day, President Bush has put America on the offense against the terrorists and those who sponsor them. President Bush led a coalition to liberate over 50 million people in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Shouldn't we thank President Bush for removing two of the most brutal regimes in human history?

While many of the postwar policies were not the right ones, President Bush made the right decisions in removing both of those regimes. America is safer today because President Bush had the courage to call evil by its name.

Its no coincidence that we have not been attacked since 9/11. We are safer today because President Bush decided we could not wait until we have been attacked to defend our nation.

So how can I defend President Bush in 2008? Because when President Bush gives his word, President Bush keeps his word.

It is my belief that 50 years from now, history will look back on this president and conclude that his actions were right and the critics of today will then say they were with him all along.

Ryan Melchin

Hoffman Estates