Cheney’s Misguided Defense of the War Against Iraq

Re “Cheney Defends Acting on Iraq Nuclear Warnings,” July 25: Vice President Dick Cheney asked, “How could any responsible leader have ignored the Iraqi threat?” What threat? Is it the imaginary threat that he and President Bush and the rest of the administration concocted to deceive and mislead the American people?

On the other hand, experts believe North Korea has one or two nuclear bombs and is still in the process of making more -- and the United States is taking its time about dealing with it. The fact that the U.S. ignored everybody to make war with Iraq in a rush, leaving North Korea making more bombs, is beyond me.

Ed Trillo

South Gate

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The Bush administration continues to dodge issues and questions regarding its attack on Iraq. No one suggested that responsible leaders would ignore the danger from Saddam Hussein. We asked that the weapons inspectors continue their work and that the U.S. take part in United Nations-sponsored pressure to achieve the goals of a stable and nonthreatening Iraq.

Instead, the Bush administration gave us an irrational, hellbent rush toward a war that has taken thousands of lives, injured tens of thousands of people, cost the United States dearly in international goodwill and continues to bleed American taxpayers at a rate of $1 billion each week. It is the administration’s irrational, and now clearly fabricated, reasons for the rush into war that are indefensible.

Richard Robertson

Costa Mesa

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So, Cheney thinks the president acted courageously and properly before and after the Iraq war. Can anyone think of a reason why we should not believe him?

Ralph S. Brax

Lancaster