Bush’s Ratings Rise After Hussein’s Capture

Though I am happy that Saddam Hussein has been captured, I do not understand the approval rating jump for President Bush; he did nothing to gather intelligence or participate in the capture. That was all done by our brave armed forces personnel.

Hussein’s capture does not obscure the fact that Bush lied to the U.S. public and the world about his reasons for going to war in the first place and has tried to spin the reasons ever since. Hussein was a brutal tyrant responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people. What he was not, however, was a threat to the U.S. And that would have been the only acceptable reason for a unilateral war against Iraq.

Robert Dean

Thousand Oaks

*

Putting Hussein on trial may prove embarrassing to all the countries (the United States, Russia, Germany, France and others) that helped him one way or another and provided him with all the weapons and materials during the 30 years of his brutal dictatorship. Evidence: the billions of dollars that Iraq owes these countries.

Yona Sabar

Los Angeles

*

I believe the jury that decides Hussein’s fate should be made up of three groups: family members whose sons were put to death through the wood chippers; family members whose daughters were defiled by Hussein’s sons; and family members whose small children were imprisoned for no reason.

The sins committed on these three groups alone should be enough to send Hussein into an everlasting hell that is too good for him. And let these three groups decide whatever method of death for Hussein they choose.

Sue Schoensiegel

La Habra Heights

*

Whether you are Democratic or Republican, the fact remains that people will disagree with some of the actions taken (or not) by Bush since he has been in office. Robert Scheer, on the other hand, is obsessed with blaming Bush for everything (“We Got Him ... Now What?” Commentary, Dec. 16). His column on the capture of Hussein is just another example of Scheer’s desperate attempt to plug a square into a round hole. Scheer’s emotions over having a Republican president are so overwhelming, he can’t see straight ... or write very eloquently.

Steve Casey

Calabasas

*

Shame on Michael Ramirez (editorial cartoon, Dec. 16) for equating criticism of the invasion of Iraq with support for Hussein!

It would have been more historically accurate to have the names of Bush’s father and President Ronald Reagan pinned to Hussein’s jacket, since they supported him in his war against Iran and provided billions in credits even after the dictator gassed Kurdish civilians.

Doris Isolini Nelson

Los Angeles

*

Saddam is caught. The cheerleaders lead us. Hail to the chief. The “homeland” has been saved for plutocracy.

Michael H. Weinberg

Pasadena