Military’s Difficult Mission

When will we have finished our mission in Iraq? Soon. We have captured Saddam Hussein and have checked out the country for weapons of mass destruction. Thus the Iraqi threat, whatever it may have been, has been dismantled. Soon Iraqis will vote in a free election. That is accomplished also.

It has cost America the grief of almost 10,000 casualties, plus hundreds of billions of dollars, which we sorely needed elsewhere; deepened hatred of us in the world of Islam; and tarnished the historical glow of the American halo. After the Iraqi elections there will be no reason for America to stay there. Whatever form of government they choose to construct is their business alone.

Stephen J. Halasz

Desert Hot Springs

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Having failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, this war has unleashed as deadly a weapon: inhumane, murdering individuals who, quite literally, have us all by the throat.

Marilyn Lerner

Encino

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Though I certainly agree that George W. Bush rushed past the United Nations in his invasion of Iraq, Congress is equally culpable in allowing the White House to railroad it into authorizing a measure giving him the authority to use force.

Sen. John Kerry should admit that he and others were wrong not to insist upon a longer debate and, once the U.N. refused to give Bush the support he sought, to not revisit the issue in order to take one last pause before the plunge. America was frightened and angry, and cooler heads should have prevailed, but we succumbed to our worst instincts. If Kerry would admit to an error in not insisting upon further debate, he can then ask Bush if he doesn’t see now, at long last, that perhaps he too was guilty of impetuosity in invading Iraq and cannot he now, finally, change course?

Joseph Neri

West Covina

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I think it is time to admit that our invasion of Iraq was a blunder based on poor information, faulty interpretation of data or intentional disregard of available information. It is true that a hated dictator has been captured and a more democratic society may be formed. On the other hand, effort and resources have been diverted from the more important problem of Osama bin Laden, American lives have been lost, families separated, careers disrupted and the fiscal effect will be felt for generations. We have lost the respect and affection of many of our friends and earned the hatred and enmity of much of the Muslim world.

And for what? We are frightened of our own shadow, and the increase of home security systems suggests that we are now more vulnerable to aggression. Holding prisoners without trial or legal representation is counter to some of the liberties and rights that we hold dear.

I think it is time to declare victory and get out before we have another Vietnam. If we have accomplished so much for the benefit of Iraqis, let them deal with their problems without our help or hindrance.

William H. Shallenberger

Oxnard

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It concerns me greatly when I read words of ridicule regarding the effort in Iraq. Not because I think the U.S. or the administration has conducted itself perfectly. Many serious mistakes have been made.

No, I grieve over the constant rain of criticism because of how it affects, or could affect, our Iraqi employees. I am a construction manager working in Baghdad. We have hired local administrative assistants, engineers, translators, supervisors and service people. Every single day these people face severe threats and potential death for working for us. Every day they alter their routes, alter their departure times, come up with creative stories in case they are stopped and are ready to bolt at a moment’s notice every time they step out the door.

Some have lost friends, some fear for their families. They are intelligent, industrious, friendly, courteous, patient people, as fine as you will find anywhere. They know that we are not here to colonize their country, we are here to help build it. Regardless of your position on the reasons for or conduct of the war, do not denigrate the efforts and hopes of these people by belittling our mission here. However it came about, we are here now and must finish this job.

Don’t allow media accounts of embittered Iraqis to taint your view of these people.

Dan Erbach

Los Angeles

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So Kobe Bryant used the “everybody’s doing it” line when facing a rape accusation. And a British detainee at Guantanamo alleged he was tortured and that he “partially witnessed” what he thought was the slaying of two other detainees by U.S. military interrogators in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon response bore a striking resemblance to Bryant’s defense when it replied that its interrogation techniques are within international standards. Note, the Pentagon did not claim to uphold the Geneva Conventions, but merely that “everybody else does it.”

Richard Johnson

Claremont