Attack was Unfounded

In response to Ms. Rhoda McComb (Our Readers Write?or Wrong, 9-23): You are correct; President Clinton and President Bush relied on advisors as to the location of Bin Laden; neither was able to find him.

In addition to the nearly 3,000 who died on 9/11, more than 1,000 Americans have died in Iraq; over 100 American military have died in Afghanistan. We have been told that the attacks of 9/11/01 were the result of Osama bin Laden/Al Queda. That was the basis for our attack on Afghanistan. We were told there was a connection between Al Queda/bin Laden and Iraq and that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction - the basis for our attack on Iraq. Neither the US Congress nor the U.N. found a connection between Iraq and Al Queda/bin Laden; there is no evidence of WMD. Therefore, the basis for our attack on Iraq was unfounded, the UN Secretary called it illegal.

No one in America will forget 9/11. We cannot have a safer world if we are not prepared to address the many internal issues that come with assuming control over a country and its people. According to both CNN and NPR the celebration televised as Hussein’s statue being destroyed was a staged event by US. We were not prepared to address the multitude of issues that arose as a result of our attacks on Iraq or the removal of Hussein; nor are we prepared to address the multitude of issues that continue to affect the people of Iraq.

I am tired of being told that the war on terror is better fought in someone else’s home. I don’t want the American flag dripping with innocent blood. According to NPR July 2004, America is not respected or viewed as intelligent, concerned or helpful by the majority of European people. Leaders of the world do not want to work with America because they do not feel we can be trusted. This is not the America I want to leave to my child. I want her to inherit an America that models the values of fairness, justice, service, and integrity.

In the last 4 years: (BLS) 337,193 California workers unemployed; 176,700 lost their unemployment benefits; 350,100 California manufacturing jobs left the state; 1.75 million California children do not qualify for the Child Tax credit; 6,398,000 California residents do not have health insurance; California poverty rate up to 12.8%; (CTJ Fact Sheet) California taxpayers face $21,484 average increased debt burden and 48% receive less than $100 from recent tax cut; richest 1% will get $77,495; businesses nationwide lost 2.6 million jobs-putting unemployment up 36%; nationally, college tuition is skyrocketing (AP; College Board); (President’s FY 2005 Budget) No Child Left Behind (NCLB) underfunded by $9.4 billion-California will face $2,089,035,000 in unfunded NCLB mandates.

Sandi Brodwin

La Cañada Flintridge