When Reasons for War Become Harder to Find
Re “We Need Answers, Mr. Bush,” editorial, Sept. 20: Bravo!
Too many equate patriotism with accepting the reasoning and the proposals of President Bush without regard to evidence. Bravery is required of our elected representatives. I would hope that all clear-thinking and truly patriotic voters would support those legislators who are willing to require more proof from the president for the need to attack Iraq, and vote for them in November.
Albert J. Grafsky
Palm Desert
*
The Bush administration has no time when it comes to dealing with Iraq. We would be wise to ask why there is this frenzied desperation to act now. If weapons inspectors are allowed back into Iraq, what would serve us better than time? If it takes a year ... five years
Ann Steindlberger
Fountain Valley
*
I literally became ill when reading that the Catholic bishops were questioning the moral legitimacy of war (“Catholic Bishops Oppose a Unilateral War on Iraq,” Sept. 18). Where do they get the time for these conferences? Given the recent history of their involvement with the “young boy” issues, I cannot think of anyone or any group I would trust less. Clean your own house before you come to mine.
Ronald Keller
Long Beach
*
It is about time that U.S. Catholic bishops voiced concern over Bush’s push for an attack on Iraq. It would have been better had they spoken out much sooner because now many Catholics have decided that this would be a just war. The church authority is supposed to guide its flock, not remain silent while the horrors of an immoral war begin. Now the Vatican needs to speak out; its silence is approval. Jesus Christ would never condone this ugly, aggressive and unprovoked assault on a country already destroyed by our previous bombs, its children starving by our sanctions.
Bush, who calls himself a Christian, is not behaving like one. Christ taught nonviolence and non-bloodshed. Christ told us to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us.
Alethea Guthrie
Malibu
*
Bush is wrongheaded for putting the American war effort in terms of what the United Nations will and won’t allow. The U.S. was never created with the intention of subjecting the citizenry to an arbitrary power, let alone one that is ultimately unaccountable, such as the U.N. is. The U.N. is still something of a rogues’ gallery. I was sickened to hear representatives from the Palestinian territories, Iran and Iraq, among others, implore authorities to operate for peaceful cooperation.
The agenda of lowering sanctions against terrorist states, replacing war on tyrants with negligible weapons inspections and advocating widespread disarmament of free states is an affront to countries that already have a track record of peaceful operation. It’s time to give war a chance.
Greg Morrison
Newport Beach
*
In the Gulf War we attacked Iraq for what it did to Kuwait. Now, Bush wants to attack Iraq for what it might do down the road. According to this “logic” we can attack any country, jail anyone, execute anybody for what they might or might not do in the future. This logic is insane.
Richard Shutt Jr.
Gridley, Calif.