Bush book draws response

IN REVIEWING Bob Woodward’s new book “The War Within” (“Bush Painted as a Failed Wartime Chief,” Sept. 10) about President Bush’s failed leadership in our war in Iraq, Tim Rutten mentions “a hyper-secret new program (by inference, a combination of technology and operational techniques) that has allowed U.S. forces to identify, locate and kill huge numbers of the insurgency’s leaders, including members of Al Qaeda.”

I wonder if this is the same marvelous new technology responsible for over 500 civilian deaths in Afghanistan, including one hit that killed 90, mostly women and children?

William McCall

Arcadia

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The Times article cites Bob Woodward’s opinion that Bush “is the worst kind of wartime president,” frequently detached, hostile, impatient and impulsive.

As a police officer for 30 years, I learned that opinions are no substitute for facts. Woodward should stick to the facts and let his readers form the opinions.

Jim Shade

West Covina

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Bob Woodward describes President Bush as having displayed “impatience, bravado and unsettling personal certainty,” resulting in “impulsiveness and carelessness.” Remind anyone else of another personality now prominently emerging on the national scene?

Jack Redmond

North Hollywood