Put the Mideast Conflict Ahead of War With Iraq

Re “Who Are All You People Who Support a War Against Iraq?” Sept. 4: Steve Lopez is the proverbial voice in the wilderness. I too have been mystified by the polls showing a majority of Americans favoring a ground war against Iraq. While I agree that Saddam Hussein is dangerous and needs to go, I think we can take care of him later.

I am of the conviction that the United States’ considerable influence and power need to be focused on resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The U.S. and the rest of the world, for that matter, are not going to find peace or peace of mind until that conflict is solved. It appears that this administration finds it much easier to threaten war rather than tackle the difficult task of forging a peace in Palestine.

If the Toxic Texan wants to redeem his tattered reputation (not to mention that of the United States), then the Israeli-Palestinian conflict might be a good place to start.

Cathy Dowling

Camarillo

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Thanks, Steve Lopez, for a breath of fresh air, a note of sanity in this war-crazed atmosphere. By what right does the U.S. claim the imperative to select countries for “regime change”?

Jean K. Glasser

Van Nuys

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Re “Business Rumblings in Time of War,” Sept. 4: The Big Business superpatriots are already talking about all their alternatives if the penalties of the fight against terrorism threaten to dent their profit margins (shipping to Canadian ports, ignoring now-voluntary industry security improvements, etc.). Next will be a Big Business rush to incorporate offshore while claiming the businesses are not subject to United States security rules.

Dubya rails against any criticism of the war on terrorism by Democrats or the media, so why isn’t he rapping industry’s knuckles now?

Don and Sharron Brundige

San Pedro

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Containment of the Soviet Union was successful in avoiding war over a 40-year period and was instrumental in the ultimate demise of that regime. The Bush administration is going all out to make the case why war with Iraq is a necessity. Many Americans, and much of the world, will want the more basic question answered: why containment won’t work against Iraq when it did against a foreign adversary with many times more destructive power than Hussein will ever possess.

Bill Hessell

Culver City