Bush Issues a Challenge to the Iraqi Opposition

Re “ ‘Bring Them On,’ Bush Says of Iraqi Resisters,” July 3: Bring ‘em on. How about that as an incitement to murder? From the cool and luxurious surroundings of the White House, President Bush challenges Iraqis to do their worst, and in the triple-digit heat of the desert thousands of miles from home, American and British soldiers pay the deadly price for his braggadocio. I hope the loved ones of the dead and wounded remember these words in 2004.

Shirley Palmer

Woodland Hills

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I am absolutely disgusted that an unelected president, appointed by the Supreme Court, who dodged the draft during Vietnam (thank you, Daddy), taunts the Iraqi opposition to his occupation of their country with “bring them on.” I guess he doesn’t much give a damn about how many kids born “below” him die. But why should he care? There seem to be no consequences to his recklessness.

Emil Berkanovic

Los Angeles

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Theodore Roosevelt had the physical stature, Franklin Roosevelt the mental agility. Whether agreeing with the policies of either, they could pull it off when it came to phraseology. Our Bushman is lost in the wilds of language better suited to Clint Eastwood than the leader of the free world. “Bring them on” doesn’t instill confidence in a conflict that is picking off our troops repeatedly after we have been told the war is over.

Ted Lepon

Los Angeles

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Re “Unrest in Iraq Poses Political Threat to Bush,” July 3: Oh, come now. Did anyone actually believe that there would be “rest” in Iraq following the deposal of Saddam Hussein? Birth by nature is painful, messy and chaotic, the birth of a nation even more so.

Kyda Sylvester

Auburn, Calif.

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I see that our super-efficient and thrifty federal government finally decided on July 3 to offer a bounty for Hussein and his sons. Rather than spend $100 billion or more on two wars with Iraq, they should have first offered bounties of $5 billion for Hussein and $1 billion for each of his top 10 subordinates.

F. Stephen Masek

Mission Viejo

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Why should the United States government offer a specific bounty -- $25 million -- for information relating to the location of Hussein and his boys? How about using EBay to set the price?

It would prove to be a good example of the forces of free-market capitalism for the Iraqi people.

Ken Marcus

Los Angeles

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How can people claim that weapons of mass destruction don’t exist simply because we haven’t found them yet? We haven’t found Osama bin Laden or Hussein and, unlike WMD, they move and require air and food. Get real, people.

Mike Hogan

Belmont, Calif.