Extent of Iraq ‘Democracy’ Is Debatable

What is George W. Bush talking about? We are not “building democracy” in Iraq. Bush has created a colossal mess out of the Middle East by launching, according to Kofi Annan, an “illegal war” in Iraq. We can’t even go into Fallouja, Ramadi, Samarra and parts of Baghdad because of increasing resistance. How is that winning?

Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) have begun using terms like “incompetence” and “in deep trouble” to describe the situation in Iraq. That doesn’t sound like winning.

One thing’s for sure, George’s “W” doesn’t stand for Winning the war in Iraq.

Chad Buchanan

West Hollywood

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There is a simple way -- far more accurate than any poll -- for President Bush to assess the nation’s support for his war against Iraq: suggest reinstating the draft. The irony is that if the Iraqi people were given a vote tomorrow, they would elect to kick the U.S. military forces out of their country. And who can blame them? We have destroyed Iraq, not liberated it.

David Stoughton

Santa Monica

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Is Sen. John F. Kerry well? He has now resorted to extreme cynicism, negativism and disrespect by openly smearing the prime minister of Iraq. Kerry knows what is going on in Iraq and the prime minister doesn’t? Kerry declared that the prime minister was living in a fantasy world, like Bush. The prime minister is in a fantasy about his own country? It’s Kerry who is in the fantasy world, and sadly, he doesn’t know it. He should keep windsurfing.

Marianne Truitt

Marina del Rey

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Leave it to the Bush campaign to cut right to the heart of this election. Its new ad reveals Kerry to be a windsurfer. First, we learn that being a war hero is a liability. Now we are hit with this new allegation. Those poor undecided voters must be twisting in the wind. On one hand, we have a president who is single-handedly responsible for the disaster in Iraq, the degradation of environmental protections, tax cuts and special consideration for corporations, and the destruction of public education through ridiculously unattainable standards. On the other hand, we have a war hero and windsurfer. Such a difficult choice.

Kurt Page

Laguna Niguel

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The terrorists who are continuing a campaign of kidnapping, slaughter and suicide bombing are assuring a place for themselves in hell. These terrorists and thugs do not represent my religion. Jack Hensley and Eugene “Jack” Armstrong were in Iraq to rebuild the water system there. They were kidnapped and beheaded by these barbarians. These terrorists are criminals and subhumans. They should be brought to justice. This barbarism perhaps explains why a majority of our neighbors favor profiling Muslims. We, the Muslim Americans who continue to face harassment, discrimination, violence and intimidation on the nation’s playgrounds, schools and offices, unfortunately feel that our neighbors don’t know about what we are going through.

Mohammad Yacoob

Hawthorne

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With the outcome in Iraq resembling Vietnam more each day, we should start to think and prepare for an influx of Iraqi refugees and their families. These are our supporters, and we cannot leave them behind. Ultimately, they could number in the millions, which, as it did after we pulled out of Vietnam, would put a massive strain on housing, schools, jobs, medical services and an increase in taxes to cover the costs for years to come.

Steven R. Odell

Huntington Beach

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With the beheading of two innocent Americans in Iraq, I have one question to ask the president: Are we safer now?

Glenn M. Langdon

Garden Grove