Iraqi Misinformation or U.S. Disinformation?

Re “U.S. Suspects It Received False Iraq Arms Tips,” Aug. 28: The claim by U.S. intelligence agencies that they may have been duped by bogus Iraqi defectors into believing that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction ranks right up there with O.J.’s search for the real killers. Why would Saddam Hussein mislead the U.S. with information that would lead to his own destruction?

There is a far more plausible explanation. The neocons in the Bush administration wanted access to the second-largest oil reserve in the Middle East, a demonstration of our military might and a permanent base from which to operate. They were prepared to tell any lie necessary to accomplish their goals. The sad thing is that The Times treated this latest piece of disinformation as important “news.”

Ernest A. Canning

Thousand Oaks

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Now that it is beyond doubt that lies were told, that the Iraq war is hurting the U.S. budget and military and that the people who questioned and opposed this war were right, it’s time for some apologies: From the corporate media, which differed in no way from Pravda during the lead-up to the war, completely giving up actual reporting (print excluded). From the people who backed this administration without questions, calling protesters traitors and renaming French food but never bothering to check facts. And -- I won’t hold my breath for this one -- from the administration itself.

John Mathieu

Stevenson Ranch

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We are now told that Hussein may have sent out phony defectors bearing phony stories about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, which is why we haven’t found any. So Hussein tricked Bush into assaulting Iraq, overthrowing him and killing his sons. The wily devil!

Jerry Bradley

Santa Barbara

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It’s time for Bush to take his the-dog-ate-my-homework excuses for invading Iraq to the Comedy Channel. His invasion plans were as well thought out as a panty raid.

He has returned Afghanistan to the era of the warlords, and the Taliban and terrorism are finding new strength. The absence of a postwar program for Iraq is reducing it to chaos. And worse, we are taking an increasing number of American casualties.

Jerry Buck

Sherman Oaks