Here we go...

Okay kids, here goes.

Dear Sen. Pete Domenici, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Rep. Heather A. Wilson, Rep. Joe Skeen and Rep. Thomas Udall

I have pondered long and hard about what I should say in this letter. I thought of a lot of pithy things to say. But really, it comes down to this: Please don't.

Please don't let an administration that the majority of Americans didn't vote for drag our nation into a war that so many do not support.

Please don't let politics-as-usual cost the lives of anyone in any country. Please don't let oil interests cost the lives of anyone in any country.

Please don't let anything we do now destabilize our relations with an entire region to the point that the children of the people we send into battle will be affected.

Please don't abandon the frail government we have established in Afghanistan to warlords and al-Qaida remnants we have yet to eliminate.

Please don't expose our soldiers to possible chemical weapons.

Please don't put Americans at danger by inflaming the hatred of terrorists.

Please don't jeopardize our relationship with a planet-full of allies.

I could go on and on, but I won't. I know you're probably getting hundreds of letters and are probably just sorting them into piles of "yes" or "no". This is a passionate "no".

War is not something wage "just in case". There is too much at risk

Sincerely,

Vanessa Gatsch