“Where are the WMDs? Why are we really over in Iraq? Why the hell are our troops dying? Mr. Bush, how are we safer now?”

These questions come not from Al Franken or MoveOn.org, but from “Jay,” one of our troops stationed in Iraq. He’s been in the military for eight years.

Jay wrote one of the thousands of letters and e-mails that troops have sent to Michael Moore; a selection of them are published in the new book “Will They Ever Trust Us Again? Letters from the War Zone.”

First, in anticipation of the usual anti-Moore conspiracy theories, let me point out he does in this book what he doesn’t do in any movie – he gets out of the way. The words belong to the soldiers. And while they certainly aren’t a representative sample of views in the military, they do provide voices largely silenced (to address this, if you or a family member have served in Iraq, contact me at [email protected]).

What they have to say might surprise you.

“The military is for defending the republic,” writes Al Lorentz, a self-professed “old soldier” in Iraq. “It is not for overthrowing dictators, building democracy or making the world a better place for everyone else.”

One marine lieutenant, who, before the war, had to explain to his troops the war was not for oil but to capture WMDs, writes, “Time and our senior leadership have proven me to be a liar.”

Evidence has mounted to justify these feelings. The recently released Duelfer report shows that not only did Iraq not have WMDs, but that its potential for making them had diminished since the first Gulf War.

This, after President George W. Bush had told our troops – and the world – in October 2002 that Iraq “possesses and produces chemical and biological weapons.” Vice President Dick Cheney, in August 2002, had said, “Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies and against us.”

Troops also question Iraq’s role in the war on terror. Marine Sgt. Alex Ward writes that it “has turned a nation that had relatively few terrorists onto one swarming with them.”

Americans seem to agree. A recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll shows that more than half of Americans think the Iraq war has actually increased the threat of terrorism.

Although Bush’s administration has spun the Iraq war until we’re all dizzy, it seems somewhat harder to fool the brave soldiers who dodge bullets and sidestep roadside bombs every day. Their courage in facing these dangers is as inspirational as their courage in speaking out against a war that many don’t think is justified.

Their stories of sacrifice – of saying goodbye to families, of friends who have lost limbs or been killed – have led many to a surprising conclusion, summed up by “Henry H.,” a veteran of Afghanistan: “When I cast my vote for anyone but Bush come November, I will think of my fallen friends.”

In the voting booths in November, many other Americans will think of their fallen friends, too.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.