Powell’s Flawed Case for Making War on Iraq

Re “Flaws Cited in Powell’s U.N. Speech on Iraq,” July 15: It was a sad thing to watch Secretary of State Colin L. Powell’s speech to the U.N. attempting to justify the war on Iraq. Powell, being “the good soldier,” put his substantial credibility on the line reciting “flawed” intelligence and misleading information. The information, at its worst, was intentional fabrication to justify the president’s obsession to overthrow Saddam Hussein. You could see by the pained expression on Powell’s face that he realized that by giving the speech his historical legacy of service would be forever diminished.

Martin Harrington

Thousand Oaks

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The Iraqi people’s objective is to get U.S. troops out of Iraq. Our government’s objective is to get to the point where we can turn the country over to the Iraqis to run. Powell admits that we went in under misguided information. Given the mutual objectives and the initial blunder (I’m being charitable) Powell admits to, it would seem prudent to get out ASAP.

Robert J. Schlesinger

San Diego

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Buried deep in an article on intelligence flaws in Powell’s speech to the U.N. was a reference to a “40-plus-page document that was prepared by Vice President Dick Cheney’s office and submitted to State Department speechwriters detailing the case the administration wanted Powell to make.” How interesting that Cheney’s office was preparing talking points for the secretary of State to make in his argument for going to war with Iraq. Isn’t that the president’s job?

Brad Goldberg

Studio City

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I cannot understand why the fact that President Bush brought our nation to war based on intelligence that was determined to be weak by his own State Department is not more disturbing to the public. The original draft of Powell’s speech, allegedly prepared by Cheney’s office and the National Security Council, attempted to bring us to war based on claims that were unsubstantiated and unreliable. The Bush administration was clearly looking for information with which it could justify war.

President Clinton was impeached for lying under oath about an extramarital affair. Bush knowingly distorted facts to bring our nation to war. Which crime seems worse?

Brian Mannix

Sea Cliff, N.Y.