Here’s a letter I wish I’d written…

His Just Reward?
December 18, 2004, The Washington Post

I was puzzled at the award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to retired Army Gen. Tommy Franks [Style, Dec. 15]. It is, after all, the nation's highest civilian award, and almost everything Gen. Franks has done in life was as a military officer. So far as I know, he has only two major accomplishments as a civilian: promoting his autobiography and endorsing President Bush for reelection.

As the "autobiography" was actually written by someone else, was the Medal of Freedom for endorsing Mr. Bush?

PATRICK G. HALPERIN Alexandria