President’s Bush’s Offerings on the Eve of War

Re the State of the Union speech: To make his warmongering more palatable, President Bush is offering a little something to keep everyone happy. For the right wing, faith-based initiatives, not thoughtful government programs, are supposed to solve our social ills. For seniors, a privatized prescription subsidy is just the trick; never mind that we could all have had affordable health insurance under Bill Clinton’s plan 10 years ago had Republicans not rejected it outright. As a sop to the wealthy, no more taxes on dividends; Bush calls this an economic stimulus program, but in fact it will stimulate nothing.

Thanks to our president, it’s come-and-get-it day for Americans. That should take our minds off a $100-billion-plus war in Iraq, a spiraling national debt and Bush’s shrinking popularity for a while, shouldn’t it?

Bruce R. Feldman

Santa Monica

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Bush said of suspected terrorists in Afghanistan and other countries: “And many others have met a different fate. Let’s put it this way,” he smirked, “they are no longer a problem for the United States and our friends and allies.” This was hands down the worst line from the State of the Union address. Who does he think he is, John Wayne?

War and death, even when ethically necessary to prevent even more war and death, should never be something to smile about. I was ashamed, as an American and a Republican, by the cavalier tone Bush has taken about the possible war in Iraq.

J Graigory

Culver City

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Whatever happened to our commitment to bring Osama bin Laden to justice? What happened to the great boost in our economy from the massive tax cuts? Clearly, what has happened is we are diverted with our president’s obsession with Saddam Hussein. We are now asked to give more tax cuts to the rich and go to war to protect our supply of oil.

I must be really stupid -- when I hear about all the proof we have of Hussein’s ties to Al Qaeda but never see any. And proof of the massive stores of weapons of mass destruction (the buzzwords of this administration) -- but again, I never see any. If by any stretch of the imagination they come up with proof now, is there anyone really that naive to believe it took this long to show us?

William Ash

Santa Monica

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I personally think that time is up for Hussein. We all know he has chemical and biological weapons that can demolish thousands, or even millions, of people. And before any of those things happens, I think we should take full-force military action against Iraq -- take him out once and for all. I guess having a brother in the military makes you think like that.

Elizabeth Altamirano

Los Angeles

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Re “Democrats Add Edge in Response to Bush Talk,” Jan. 29: Your article is proof once again of the failed leadership within the Democratic Party. Sen. John B. Breaux (D-La.) says Bush “didn’t spell it out” as to why the U.S. should use military force against Iraq. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) says that “there is a feeling [Democrats] need to be more aggressive” in opposing Bush. All well and good, except that both men were among those Democrats who voted to give Bush the authority to use U.S. military force against Iraq.

Too bad we didn’t have this kind of debate within the Democratic Party, and the media, at the time of the vote on the Iraqi resolution. If we had, the results might have been different.

Colin Kingston

Ontario

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Something is wrong when the impassioned voices of countless millions opposing war with Iraq are represented in Congress by a soft whisper.

Roland M. Koncan

Santa Monica

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Re “A War for God-Fearing Peoples,” by Thomas J. Cottle, Commentary, Jan. 30: At last someone has dared to speak the unspeakable.

The country with the greatest number of weapons of mass destruction is ... the United States. The only country that has used weapons of mass destruction against another nation is ... the United States. Is it any wonder that our smug moral righteousness arouses hostility from much of the world?

Arthur Hoyle

Pacific Palisades

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Regarding Secretary of State Colin Powell’s recent offer of the Bush administration’s help in finding a place for Hussein and family to go into exile: How about Camp David?

Glenn Stebbins

Santa Maria