What are we fighting for?

Re “Bush Likens War on Terror to Cold War,” Oct. 7

I felt a complete letdown when President Bush stated that we were, once again, going to engage in fighting “city by city” to “defeat the enemy.” This is the same story we have been hearing since he declared “mission accomplished” 2 1/2 years ago.

This is a whirlpool that just keeps going around, sucking our soldiers and the Iraqi people under. How many times do our troops have to “retake” cities before this nightmare is over? There is absolutely no end in sight.

STEVEN R. ODELL

Huntington Beach

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Saddam Hussein is supposed to have said, “He who controls the oil, rules the world.” Just imagine if he took control of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and we did nothing.

The pacifists today would be screaming bloody murder and blaming Bush as gas approached double-digit prices. We are in Iraq because we are oil addicts and the Middle East is our supplier, pure and simple. Our soldiers in Iraq are sacrificing their lives so that we can continue to have cheap gas and plenty of it.

Next time you fill up your gas hogs at the service station, please think about this.

HENRY SAKAIDA

Temple City

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So Bush tells us that “radicals” seek to “intimidate the world.” Gosh, that doesn’t smack of irony, does it?

ROBIN WEITZ

Beverly Hills

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Re “War of attrition,” editorial, Oct. 6

Pursuing the Bush administration’s mission and plan to create a democratic, unified, stable and America-friendly Iraq is becoming akin to chasing a rainbow that does not have a pot of gold (or oil) at its end.

There are two relevant realities. One is that there are continuing losses of life among American troops (and Iraqis) and great financial costs in the absence of clear, convincing evidence that the administration’s mission is being accomplished. The other is that Americans want to feel more secure in an increasingly dangerous world.

These realities will play a major role in political decisions resulting in military action or inaction between now and the 2008 U.S. presidential election. And ultimately, addressing realities trumps chasing rainbows.

MARCUS JACOBSON

Los Angeles