Pakistan, Politics and President Bush

For Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to cooperate with the United States in the face of opposition from a majority of his population is absolute courage. With so many calls for retaliation and the buildup of military-strike power, will President Bush have the courage to tell a majority of Americans that Osama bin Laden has money to hide anywhere in the world and we will not bomb a country already devastated? Will Bush have the courage to seek the wisdom of historians and religious scholars on the lessons from past wars, the belief systems of Islam and the mind-set of Islamic radicals?

Will Bush have the courage to defy the “smoke ‘em out” language of grade-B Western movies and instead use the same intelligent cunning that will beat terrorists at their own game? (A game in which they readily showed us they understand our networks, our media’s ability to fan fear and our stock market’s response.) Will Bush have that courage? Will the majority of Americans have the courage and wisdom to hear him?

Eileen McDargh

Dana Point

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You may want to rethink “Pakistan’s Tightrope” (editorial, Sept. 20), especially with regard to your opinion that the United States should have closer ties with the men who will likely rule Pakistan for some time. Gen. Musharraf was not elected president but assumed the role as a result of a military coup. He is by no means secure in his position or popular with the people of Pakistan.

In addition, Musharraf and the people of Pakistan have been longtime supporters of the Taliban and have used it to fight the war with India in Kashmir. At this time we should really be thinking of long-term stability in the area instead of making a deal with the devil.

Susan Baker

Los Angeles

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I realize that it’s politically correct at this time to declare that you’re solidly behind the president and everything he wants to do, but don’t you get an acrid whiff of deja vu ? A 10-year war with no definite objectives? A flotilla of aircraft carriers to capture a gang of ragtag thugs in tattered tennis shoes? A baseball bat to kill an ant?

Meanwhile, the stock market plunges, indicating that many smart people are not all that optimistic. One thing seems sure: When George W. leaves office we will not be left with huge surpluses to be distributed among the next president’s pals.

Bill Idelson

Pacific Palisades

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With all the problems that have befallen our nation, I was surprised that Bush has stepped up to the plate. When we elected him we had no idea he would be the firm hand on the tiller in this time of need. We, as a nation, lucked out.

Richard Senate

Ventura