In Fallouja, a Letdown After a Big Buildup

Re “The U.S. Loses by Quitting in Fallouja,” by Max Boot, Commentary, May 6: Finally, someone has the guts to call this what it is -- an embarrassing and potentially serious defeat for the U.S. After three weeks of daily threats by the U.S. military command to clean out the insurgents in Fallouja, the Marines were pulled out and the place turned over to the bad guys.

The media ran front-page articles for days on the coming decisive battle for Fallouja, and then quietly forgot all about it when we left. Did someone tell them to bury the story? The indecision and weakness being shown by the U.S. in a tough situation is hauntingly reminiscent of another war we fought 30 years ago. I surely hope, for our soldiers’ sake, that we are not falling into another mess like Vietnam.

Robert Newman

West Hills

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Boot charted the to-and-fro of the administration’s policies in and toward Iraq. He addressed the war simply as an exercise in management and decision-making, a refreshing diversion from the usual context of politics, double talk and fear (say “patriotism”) that dominates most such discussions. Viewed from that perspective, the management of the war appears inept, inappropriate, poorly handled and to be the product of intuitive -- rather than carefully considered and informed -- decision-making.

Robert Weiss

Portland, Ore.