The hurricanes crossing Florida this year have taken lives and done billions of dollars worth of damage. Many long-time residents evacuated ahead of Hurricane Ivan — so stressed out that they couldn't take a third hurricane in a month. But Ivan will pass, the hurricane season will end.

Not so for the people of Iraq. The war has now dragged on for 19 months with no end in sight. American planes still fill the skies and our tanks patrol the streets. There are explosions every day. Both the Sunnis we came to fight and the Shiites we came to liberate have become resistance fighters, vowing to chase us out and to topple a government they see as an American puppet. Like the threat of a hurricane every day, no one knows where the violence will strike next.

While America counts its dead, tragically now over 1,000, so do the Iraqis count their dead, adding over 1,000 to their total in just the last month and 100 in the last 2 days. The people live in constant fear of both Americans and their fellow Iraqis. It is what war brings.

President Bush is hated and scorned by most Iraqis. Bush's team brought war and has failed at peace. Without a plan, he asks for more money and more time to fight on.

For the sake of America, the Iraqis and the world, Americans must say no to Bush and elect Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) as our new president. Humans are powerless to stop a hurricane, however we can stop a war. Only Kerry — a man who understands both war and peace — can succeed.

Ellerman is a veteran and considers himself a moderate Republican.

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