Inside Bush’s inner circle

Re “The bubble boy in the Oval Office,” Current, Dec. 10

Jonathan Chait’s observation that President Bush “is treated by everybody around him as if he were a child” is chilling. As president of arguably the world’s most influential country, this situation might make for amusing parody in a harmless novel. However, with thousands of lives affected by it in countless ways, this is real-life tragedy. Even giving Bush the benefit of the doubt -- that he’s acting in what he believes are our best interests -- the statement it makes about Americans and our democratically elected government is disgraceful.

MARK ROSENBLATT

Los Angeles

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One has to question how Chait can possibly think newly approved Defense Secretary Robert Gates feels the Iraq war was a mistake after having presumably heard Gates state in his Senate confirmation testimony that it was it too soon to tell. In response to further probing by the committee, Gates gave perhaps the most clear and convincing rationale to date as to why he believes Saddam Hussein needed to be removed. The committee members, were obviously persuaded.

If Chait thinks Gates flinched, or has given any other indication that he thinks the war was a mistake, I’d like for Chait to point out exactly where and when that occurred. Otherwise, pay up, Mr. Chait. You stated that you would bet “every dollar you own” on your assertion.

VINCE CICORIA

Playa del Rey