Fallout from Iraq

Re “Iraqi leadership’s failures raise pressure on U.S.,” May 21

It would be laughable if it were not tragic to think of Congress ousting anyone, especially the leader of a nominally sovereign foreign government it was fooled into helping install in the first place. If Congress wants to practice its skills, there is a more worthy target right under its nose: U.S. Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales. So far his manifest contempt for Congress paints it as a bunch of waffling wusses.

If Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is to be ousted, the decision will be made in the court of President Bush, not in the halls of our self-styled representatives. They may claim their pressure as the cause, but that would be a hard sell when one reviews their recent effectiveness on a slew of issues.

TONY O’DOHERTY,

Bermuda Dunes, Calif.

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“The Bush administration is under growing pressure to intervene to rearrange Baghdad’s dysfunctional political order, or even install a new leadership.” This is bringing democracy to Iraq? What happened to of, by and for the people?

CYNTHIA CUZA

Pacific Palisades

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Re “Timeline stalls war funding talks,” May 19

This article left me baffled. Having read it over several times, I still have no idea what’s going on with these budget negotiations. Let me quote the second paragraph: “In a bid to retain the timeline in a second version of the bill, Democratic leaders offered Friday to allow the president to waive the timeline.” Retain the timeline by waiving the timeline?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is quoted as saying: “There must be accountability in the legislation if Democrats are to support it.” Accountability, I thought, was the reason for the timeline. But if you don’t retain the timeline ... oh, wait a minute, you do retain the timeline.

My head isn’t just swimming, it’s doing the backstroke.

JIM RYAN

Van Nuys

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Instead of continuing to negotiate, Congress should simply offer Bush the funding with whatever conditions it deems applicable. If Bush doesn’t want to take it, so be it.

THOMAS BLISS

Sherman Oaks