Some Helenans are sure to be upset about the Helena City Commission's decision to stage a vote on a referendum calling for the immediate, safe and orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, seeing it as unpatriotic and none of the city's business.

But we're betting a majority of people in town welcome a chance to have their say.

The commission unanimously agreed Monday with an anti-war group's request to put the issue on this year's Nov. 6 ballot. The same group earlier had sought a similar resolution by the commission itself, but was rejected. That was a welcome decision, because such an action would have been seen by many as merely the opinion of five people who happen to be members of the commission, rather than as a statement from the community at large.

A vote of the people, on the other hand, will be an unmistakable verdict, at least among those who cared enough to show up at the polls.

The commission also has been asked to consider adding another referendum to the ballot calling for Congress to fully fund and support troops until victory in Iraq is achieved. That strikes us as redundant, as it is pretty much the precise flip side of the question, but we'd have no problem with adding it to the ballot as well.

On the issue of the war in Iraq, we doubt any nuances of wording will have much effect on the outcome.