Looking Twice at Bush’s Questionable Responses

Re “Bush Foresees Faster Growth,” July 31: In his press conference Wednesday, President Bush was asked if the links he claimed existed between Iraq and Al Qaeda were exaggerated to justify war, or if definitive proof of those links could be provided.

The president answered, “But it’s going to take time for us to gather the evidence and analyze the mounds of evidence, literally the miles of documents that we have uncovered.” Thus, in addition to admitting a lack of proof that Iraq had a current nuclear weapons program, the president now says that the evidence of Iraq-Al Qaeda links he claimed justified the invasion of Iraq has yet to be found.

That leaves the “stockpiled biological and chemical weapons” the president told us Iraq had. So far, neither the weapons themselves nor any documentary evidence that they existed has been proffered by Bush to the American public.

Dave Wyman

Los Angeles

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Regarding Bush’s mea culpa: He has mastered the technique suggested by the adage, “It’s easier to ask forgiveness afterward than permission before.” (Mea culpa on faulty intelligence, mea culpa on tax cuts and the deficit.)

Forgiveness denied!

Tamara Lipson

Long Beach

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Bush said at his press conference that his national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice, “is an honest and fabulous person and America is lucky to have her service.” Her competence is what’s in question, not her personality.

Saul Davis

Studio City

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Your article states that “[Bush] took pains to not condemn gays” in speaking out against same-sex marriages. So when Bush said, “I am mindful that we’re all sinners, and I caution those who may try to take the speck out of their neighbor’s eye when they got a log in their own,” he was actually demonstrating acceptance of homosexuality?

Funny, I thought he was equating same-sex relationships with innate sinfulness, thereby burdening gays with wrongdoing before they even get out of bed in the morning.

Stefanie Singer

Los Angeles