Public Discussion of a War Against Iraq

Re “In Iraq, U.S. Faces New Dynamics,” July 6: If we’re going to invade Iraq, we should go straight to the endgame and burn the Iraqi oil fields. If we don’t, they will. Every possible outcome of an invasion includes those oil fields being lost. If we want to take away Iraq’s ability to develop weapons of mass destruction, then take away the oil. It is the source of Iraq’s money and the only reason any outsider cares about that poor, dark place.

Burn the oil and Iraq will fade back into a medieval culture. It saves putting our troops in danger and saves the expense of an invasion and occupation.

Clint Everett

San Diego

*

In your article on Iraq you write that a military analyst says that “public discussion of plans for invading Iraq makes their actual execution less likely.” Indeed, Iraq’s military now has a road map of the invasion plans courtesy of the Bush administration. And there has yet to be spirited public debate about these plans among Democratic and Republican members of Congress, let alone the American public. Does not Congress have sole constitutional power to declare war? I suggest the Bush administration publicly announce that it is withdrawing its Iraq war plans.

This country has bigger problems afoot yet to be resolved.

Herman E. Seiser

Los Angeles