Interpreting Haass’ spin on the war in Iraq

Re “Iraq and the fortunes of war,”

Opinion, Dec. 27

The absurd equivocation by the idealistic supporters of the invasion of Iraq is pathetic. Richard N. Haass now lectures: “Sometimes in foreign policy, it is more important to avoid catastrophe than it is to reach for perfection. This is one of those times.” In other words, the naive, immoral militarism of the administration is proving to be a disaster, but Bush supporters can keep their jingoism alive by defining victory as the absence of some self-defined “catastrophe.” Let’s get real. The catastrophe has already happened. Another speech by our self-proclaimed war president with “a tone of greater modesty” changes nothing.

It is time to listen to conservative military man Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) and begin a withdrawal. How much more carnage must occur so this arrogant administration can save face? The Iraqi forces will never stand up while they are collaborating with a foreign power.

WILLIAM SCHLEGEL

Chino Hills

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The neoconservative effort to lower expectations for victory in Iraq hit rock bottom in Haass’ piece, when he concludes “a barely functional Iraq would be good, and at this point good enough.” It appears that the neocon’s “beacon of democracy in the Middle East” is becoming a candle in the wind.

BOB GOLDSTEIN

Los Angeles

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Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, admits what left-wing “moonbats” have long been derided for claiming -- the war is about oil after all. But he still gets it wrong in a way that illuminates the whole arrogant, elitist mind-set of the policymaking establishment. People are sent to die for oil, but oil production is not the foundation of the world economy. The hands that have helped to find that oil are. These and the hands and brains of the billions of workers around the world who make it run.

That includes North Korean slave laborers who have been “outsourced” to a quaint little gingerbread country in Europe (front page, same issue). There is more reality and humanity in the working-class rapper Rhymefest (Calendar, same issue) than in a think tank full of policy wonks.

GILBERT DEWART

Pasadena