...Instead of trying to find out who my colleagues and I really are and what we did in Iraq, Krugman created a fantasy world in which unqualified people got great jobs because they were children of celebrated or powerful Washington insiders. (I won't dwell on the fact that Krugman also quoted my father out of context; those interested can verify this for themselves.) Times readers are entitled to the real story, however. People were hired based on professional experience and abilities, not cronyism. The Pentagon had a website up for many months to recruit volunteers for both Iraq and Afghanistan. In my case, I have an MBA, spent a year in post-Communist Eastern Europe at a newly privatized publishing house, and have worked at an economic consulting firm and a venture-capital group.

No doubt, some at the CPA volunteered because of their political beliefs, but I don't know of anyone who was hired because of them. Contrary to Krugman's fantasy, several of my colleagues were staunchly antiwar and had voted for Gore, yet held positions of considerable responsibility within the provisional government. They believed that, regardless of the past decisions that got us to that point, they could make a contribution to helping the Iraqi people. I admire each and every one of them and am proud to have served with them.

I question Mr. Krugman's implied premise that these were highly desirable jobs for which one needed political connections. He should try telling that to my friend and colleague Scott Erwin, who was ambushed several weeks ago returning from teaching a pro-democracy program he created at Baghdad University. Scott nearly died after having been shot multiple times. He is currently recovering from numerous surgeries and undergoing physical therapy...