Reference to the column by Ralph Nichols in Sept. 12 edition.

I couldn't agree more and the attacks on Gen. Petraeus by our representatives in Congress just prove the point more and more.

The number of foiled Islamic attacks within the U.S. is estimated to be between 30 and 40. Something not generally reported. The number of attacks on the country by the intolerant left, namely just about all the Democratic Party and their supporters in the USA-including the media and Hollywood so-called professional actors and actresses among others-is incalculable.

Now we have a new threat on the horizon. Remember the Beslan attack on the school in Russia a couple of years ago? Per current intelligence from Islamic Web sites and prisoner interrogations (wonder if that included "enhanced interrogations techniques?), schools around the USA are being scoped out by Islamic radicals for a major hit to include many on the same day. The idea being to get Americans so enraged that they will go after all Muslims in the USA, which will then create sympathy in the Muslim world of their "persecution" among other things. That is the plan if they are not intercepted.

Needless to say if there is another attack, the "tolerant" left will blame everyone from President Bush on down as long as they are Republicans and those doing the attack will be members of the Democratic Party, probably to a man (or woman) and all their cohorts across the land.

All those except the person staring back at them from a full-length mirror.

Phil Stanat

Des Moines