U.S. Reasons for the War Have Now Become Clear

Re “Antiwar Nations Barred From Bids,” Dec. 10: Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz’s announcement that the countries that did not support the illegal war in Iraq will not be able to participate in its reconstruction bidding is absolutely absurd. First, this makes it obvious to the world that the war in Iraq was a business decision (oil and contracts galore) and not a security issue (again, where are the weapons of mass destruction?); second, U.S. control of contracts, as well as Iraqi debt and oil, is illegal.

Iraq is still a sovereign nation, which means that it is in control of its business dealings, not the U.S. When is the United Nations or some other international organization going to stand up to Wolfowitz and the Bush cabal, take control of reconstruction contracts and give back the control of power to the Iraqi people?

Gary Douglas Smith

Los Angeles

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I read with some degree of bemusement that France and Germany are upset that they are not included in the bidding process for contracts to rebuild Iraq (Dec. 11). Duh! What, exactly, do they expect? After coalition forces have risked (and still are risking) life and limb to restore peace and order in Iraq, the French and Germans now want to be able to walk in as if nothing ever happened, or is happening, and make money without assuming any of the risk.

One has to wonder if the French and German governments are simply looking for a safe way to recoup the billions of dollars they lost when Saddam Hussein was deposed from power and contracts they had signed with his regime suddenly became worthless. Or are they scrambling to make sure that they will have access to Iraqi oil, when it starts to flow again? Both, perhaps? In any case, I suggest they run to the U.N. and get some more resolutions passed.

Ross Terry

Anaheim

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If there were any remaining doubts concerning the high degree of connectivity between the war in Iraq and the pursuit of profit for U.S. companies, they have been categorically removed by the action of the Bush administration to punish companies headquartered in countries that were opposed to the liberation of Iraq.

Linking the blood and sacrifice of war with economic gain is despicable. How much longer will U.S. voters and conscientious shareholders allow a system constructed on these values to continue to operate? The time has come to inform the administration and the boardroom that the correlation between blood and money is a value we abhor, not support.

Christopher Grogan

Glendale

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We should defer criticism of the administration’s postwar planning for Iraq until the postwar period starts. It could be a long wait.

Tony O’Doherty

Thousand Oaks