U.S.-Led Coalition Assaults Iraq to Save It

Another weekend of unending coverage of cities in Iraq being bombed to kingdom come. Then there is the suicide bombing and killing of the four American soldiers at a checkpoint (March 30). My gut instinct says President Bush has gotten us into something from which we will not be able to extricate ourselves easily.

I believe the Iraqis hate Saddam Hussein but that they hate Americans even more. I cannot imagine that they would welcome the idea of being “liberated” by an army that has just gotten through obliterating their homes and cities. I pray that this war ends quickly and doesn’t drag on for years to come.

Syed Hussaini

Anaheim Hills

*

Re “A Family’s Path to War,” Opinion, March 30: Kevin Phillips trashes President Bush for supposedly mismanaging international relations, but reluctantly praises the president’s father for working through the United Nations. Nevertheless, while granting that it was a mistake to leave Hussein in power in 1991, Phillips shows no awareness that reliance on the U.N. contributed mightily to precisely that result. Some liberals are impossible to please.

Barry Freedman

Los Angeles

*

Re Phillips’ column: How can one dare to use God’s name to kill innocent lives. As Bush claims this war to be a mission for God, how many of us will let him use God’s name to shed blood on the streets of Iraq? And for how long? In every speech he uses God’s name. It’s time to wake up; if we all are such good Christians like Bush, then how can we let this happen?

Violeta Yebeyan

Reseda

*

In denying numerous reports that he overruled the military brass about when to start the war in Iraq (right quick) and how to fight it (lots of shock and awe but not as many troops as the generals wanted), Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says that if you ask anyone at Central Command, they’ll confirm they’ve been given everything they asked for (March 31). Well, that’s certainly good enough for me, Mr. Secretary. Of course, I also believe in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, which probably makes me part of the secretary’s ideal audience.

Jon Krampner

Los Angeles

*

A picture is worth a thousand words! The photo of the medic on Sunday’s front page is priceless. It truly illustrates the insanity of Bush’s war. The look of puzzlement on the soldier’s face cradling a small child in apparent shock conveys the impact of this administration’s “humanitarian effort.” Our only hope lies in the American public waking up. Stop this war and bring our brothers home!

Barbara Johnson

Valley Village

*

“Battlefield Europe” (Opinion, March 30) by Walter Russell Mead was really good. What a humorous and enjoyable way to help us understand what’s going on with Germany and France at this time in history and make sense of what’s been happening the last few weeks in terms of Europe and why France has behaved like, well, France.

Barbara Bronson

Ventura

*

Mead’s analogy of a car driver out of control is appropriate, except the man behind the wheel is really not Jacques Chirac but Bush. The American people left the car keys on the kitchen table when they swallowed all his lies and let Bush wage this unpopular war.

Reynaldo Tuazon

South Pasadena

*

If the people of Iraq would rather fight for their sovereignty than their freedom, they deserve neither.

Kelly Saulie

Harbor City

*

As we watch the bombing of Iraq and the suffering it inflicts, some ask, why don’t we let it be and merely try to contain Hussein? But we could have asked the same question about the Civil War and we might still have slavery. Or we could ask that about Korea and we would have North Korea in charge. Finally, we could look back on our decision to let Cuba be and now many wonder why. Cuba was a vibrant, growing and exciting country back in 1955 when I visited. Today, it is an impoverished, scared and stifled country run by a dictator, much like Iraq. The people have been in prison for decades. We had an opportunity to save the Cubans and we didn’t. We have an opportunity to save Iraq and we should.

Frank McGinity

Santa Barbara