President and the will of the people

Re “Bush warns he won’t be rushed on plans for Iraq,” Dec. 14

With an average of two Americans and 100 Iraqis dying every day in Iraq, President Bush has stubbornly chosen to wait two or three more weeks before deciding how to proceed with a war that he has been leading for the last three years.

It is appalling that one human being can have such a negative effect on so many people around the world. Bush will hold a very high position in the pantheon of failed presidents.

BRYAN HAYS

Saugus

*

It appears that Bush’s “listening tour” included only those voices that corroborate his failed Iraq strategy. Showing his utter disregard for the American people and the bipartisan Iraq Study Group’s recommendations, Bush clings to a reality that for the majority of us is a very bad dream.

Those of us in the baby boom generation remember the prophetic words of Pete Seeger: “We’re waist deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool says to push on.”

DAN FREEDLAND

Rolling Hills Estates

*

Re “Majority support pullout timeline,” The Times/ Bloomberg Poll, Dec. 13

It once again appears that Bush will strongly reject the will of the American people, of whom 70% are against his current Iraq policy. His main objective appears to be an attempt to save face by pouring more troops into Iraq, regardless of our continuing casualties, in some insane hope of achieving military victory.

Will he ever realize that he cannot solve such a profound political problem by military action?

BILL MOUZIS

Lake Balboa

*

Re “Iraq pullout? Read the fine print,” Opinion, Dec. 11

In his haste to point out the realpolitik nature of the Iraq Study Group’s report, Niall Ferguson omits an interesting aspect. Although, as Ferguson says, the report may not be “directed at [President] Bush,” it makes no bones about pointing out the failure of the current strategy, which James A. Baker III must know would deeply embarrass Bush, especially knowing Baker’s position as the Bush family’s consigliere.

Interestingly, Bush’s response to the report also makes it clear that there is a policy chasm between his advisors and the country’s kingmakers -- who Baker arguably represents -- for whom failure in Iraq is presumably not an option both in terms of Iraq’s important position as the world’s second-largest oil reserve and a tarnished U.S. image.

SRIDHAR SUBRAMANIAN

Goleta, Calif.