Bush uses area Marine's letter

At the close of his speech Wednesday, President Bush sought to rally support for the Iraq war by quoting a letter written by Cpl. Jeff Starr, a Snohomish Marine who died at age 22 on his third tour of duty.

After Starr's death from sniper fire, the letter to a girlfriend was found on the Marine's laptop computer. Bush read an edited excerpt that declared Starr's willingness to die for the cause of freedom, but skipped over a portion in which Starr noted that he was on his third tour of duty and "pushing my chances."

The excerpt that Bush read:

"If you're reading this, then I've died in Iraq. ... I don't regret going. Everybody dies, but a few get to do it for something as important as freedom.

"It may seem confusing why we're in Iraq; it's not to me. I'm here helping these people so they can live the way we live, not to have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. Others have died for my freedom; now this is my mark."

Bush said there was only one way to honor the sacrifice of Starr and his fallen comrades. "And that is to take up their mantle, carry on the fight and complete their mission."

Starr's parents, Brian and Shellie Starr, said Wednesday that Bush's speechwriters had called them to ask permission to use the letter in the speech. They were pleased that Bush read the excerpts.

"I am very humbled by it, and also very grateful that Jeffrey would be recognized at that level," Shellie Starr said. "They are all heroes, the ones that are deployed now. The caliber of people is amazing."

Starr joined the Marines in March 2001. He died last spring with three weeks left to serve in Iraq.

Hal Bernton: 206-464-2581 or hbernton@seattletimes.com