I found George Bush's remarks to the opposition forces in Iraq to "bring 'em on" to be very disturbing - as though the guerrilla fighters in Iraq need more provoking. Every day American soldiers are dying and being crippled in Iraq. They are already facing a hostile population and what appears to be a fairly organized military opposition. So let's throw a little fuel on the fire.
Well I have a message for the president. Instead of staging a grandstanding macho political event like having someone land you on an aircraft carrier so you can get out of the plane in a flight suit and look military, how about picking up a rifle and walking a patrol in downtown Baghdad or Fallujah? How about doing a little house-to-house searching for weapons and snipers? How about standing guard in 115-degree heat? Otherwise, how about keeping your inflammatory talk to yourself?
It is easy to be macho and challenge your enemies to "bring 'em on" when someone else has to do the dying. The situation in Iraq is very dangerous and unstable. We are the intruders. We need to, as quickly as possible, return the rule of that nation back to the Iraqi people. That goal will not be made any easier for our soldiers by the reckless talk of their "prime time TV soldier" commander in chief. It seems once again the old saying is true: Rich man's war, poor man's fight.
-- Michael Eccles, Dunedin
He's safe at home
It's funny that the boldest instigations tend to come from those with the least to lose. Since the major combat in Iraq "ended," some 30 U.S. and six British soldiers have been killed in the fighting. Addressing this issue last week, President Bush stated, "There are some who feel like conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is: Bring 'em on."
This is tough talk for a guy half a globe away from the danger, safe in his home. It's not his behind on the line, or that of his children. It's kind of reminiscent of the kid on the playground who always egged on the fights, but never took a swing himself.
Sadly, our president is starting to sound more like Don King than a world diplomat.
-- Jereme M. Wheeler, Largo
Inappropriate words
"Bring 'em on!" That's what President Bush said in reply to questions about attacks on American troops in Iraq. Shortly after, Gen. Tommy Franks echoed that same remark. That said, the prospect of more Americans being killed or wounded doesn't seem to bother either Bush or Franks. They couldn't have said anything more inappropriate.
-- Bill Donofrio, Spring Hill
It's our responsibility
Re: Help wanted, July 3.
The title of your editorial should have been "Let's not do this again." You cite the costs of maintaining our presence in monetary amounts, human lives and world opinion regarding us as Americans.
What I do not see in your piece is the fact that we as a nation through the decisions of our leaders, along with the British, engaged in a war/invasion based on nebulous intelligence, forged documents and faulty arguments. Many nations we now heap abuse on continuously urged caution and wanted us to allow the United Nations' weapons inspectors to do their job prior to any attack they would have sanctioned on Iraq.
We as a nation, it appears, participated in a long charade where the decision to invade had been made months before and nothing Iraq's leadership could do to comply with American and British demands would have stopped an invasion. We pilloried those nations whose intelligence appeared to be vastly superior to ours, and that opted to sit on the sidelines.
Now you think that we as a nation should seek the assistance of all those nations who said no to American imperialism. That we should ask these nations to send the cream of their youth to die in a peacekeeping they had nothing to do with so the number of our youth being killed will be reduced when their youth are the ones gunned down. That we should ask these nations we ridiculed to help pay for a war they did not want, so our taxpayers can have some respite from the ongoing costs of our actions. That we should ask these nations, who amply warned us what to expect, to expose themselves to possible radical Islamic revenge/terror by joining hands and participating with America and the British after the damage has been done and the carnage of thousands of innocent Iraqi lives lost. That we should ask those nations to assist us while we award the plum reconstruction contracts to American firms such as Halliburton. That we should ask these nations to shoulder a piece of the Iraq burden, thereby freeing up our resources to go to Syria, Iraq, North Korea or any other nation unfortunate enough to be in our cross-hairs.
Sorry, Times. Help Wanted may be a good title, but your rationale stinks. We as a nation need to begin taking responsibility for our actions. This responsibility needs to begin at the top in Washington with our elected leaders. If this Iraq situation, which is now becoming a disaster, costs our president, some of our congressmen, and some of our senators their re-election bids, so be it. A message needs to be sent to Washington to act only in a responsible manner.
-- Douglas Robb, Tampa
A blueprint for a crisis
Re: A human rights crisis in Zimbabwe, by Colin Powell, June 27.
The solution to this crisis should be quite evident. First, we should invade Zimbabwe, claiming that nation is about to produce nuclear weapons of mass destruction and are an immediate threat to the United States. We then purport to have killed the hated dictator, even though we have no proof. A political hack is then appointed to oversee the transition to democracy (a retired major general will do). This is followed by a couple of weeks of unfettered looting by the local citizenry (stuff happens). After three weeks, we replace the "administrator" by someone more qualified and commit U.S. forces to remain in the country for the next eight to 10 years.
Hey! It's working in Iraq, isn't it?
-- Ken Bagot, St. Petersburg
Powerful persuasion
The Bush team should be congratulated! Administration officials convinced us that Iraq was the impetus behind 9/11. They convinced us that Iraq posed a military threat to the United States. They convinced us that the war was about freedom from a cruel dictator. They convinced us that it was unpatriotic to be against the war. They assured us that the war would end quickly.
I am impressed. I say to George Bush, his writers and strategy team, "Well done!"
-- Greg Gordon, Ellenton
Making war policy personal
This administration justified the war in Iraq on the basis that it was necessary to quell an imminent danger to the lives of U.S. citizens from Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Now, in the absence of WMDs, that same administration is saying we did it to free the Iraqi people from a tyrant. The administration's apologists are saying, "What difference does it make? The world is a better place without Saddam Hussein. That's what matters."
Is that persuasive? Is it legal?
Let's make it more personal: I say the guy across the street is a terrible man. We all agree. Then I say "He's got a gun and he's pointing it at me." As you say "Where?" I burn his house. The police arrive to investigate. After an extensive search they find that he had a few gun parts buried in his rose garden for 12 years, but no gun or bullets. I say "What's the difference, his wife is free now."
How would this play with Judge Judy?
-- Ray Williamson, New Port Richey
Bring the troops home
During the Vietnam War, there was a singer who sang the song Bring the Boys Home. Well, it's time to sing the song again. Bring our troops home. We have tried to help people who do not appreciate it and our troops are getting killed for it. We want our sons, daughters, fathers, etc., back home with us. Do not turn this into another Vietnam.
-- John M. Chalakee, New Port Richey
President is battling terrorism
Re: Don Addis' cartoon, July 5.
The cartoon depicts an American military officer looking at a map of Iraq and stating, "America will have a better understanding of what we've done when the smoke of battle clears." Then it shows the back of our president looking out a window stating, "That's why we don't want the smoke to clear."
This continues to show the two-faced, whining ignorance of the liberal press in our country. After the Sept. 11 attacks all of you rallied around the flagpole. Thank God we have a president who is actually doing something about terrorism.
It is obvious that neither Addis nor the Democrat cowards have any idea what it may take to achieve and maintain a terrorist-free world.
-- Jon London, Safety Harbor
Obfuscation is the strategy
Don Addis' July 5 cartoon sends a powerful message - and a sad one. It shows a general studying a map of Iraq and saying that we will understand more about what we've done when the smoke clears. A man, presumably the president, is looking vacantly out the window, and he says, "That's why we don't want the smoke to clear."
Obfuscation, deceit, scorn for the United Nations and inadequate attention to the war's aftermath have marked the whole Iraqi affair. We are still losing our soldiers, and at the same time we are failing to rebuild a safe nation in post-Saddam Hussein Iraq. The administration's strategy: keep on blowing smoke.
-- Edward Rapp, Inverness
Shameful cartoon image
Re: Michael Ramirez cartoon, July 3.
The cartoon showed a U.S. soldier telling a dog labeled Iraq to go and be free. Shame on you, Ramirez. Few countries would accept a dog label, but this is especially atrocious applied to a Muslim country where dogs are considered unclean animals in the Koran. Was this sheer ignorance, bloody mindedness, or specifically targeted at Muslims?
-- Arlene Seipel Ditmars, Dunedin
Frustrations of modern life
Did you ever think that we could be called the "Hurry up and wait" generation? We all wait, wait, wait on the phone on a busy day while our call is slowly progressing through music, sales pitches and silence for interminable minutes as we creep toward finding a human answering our call, only to find when we do get through a long list of topics to choose from, none matches our questions!
How much time is wasted each day as we all "wait" our turn? Is this - the modern equivalent of torture - the frustrating road to our so-called "promising" automated future?
Do we, each of us, secretly wish we could return to days past, when we called and quickly heard a human voice answer our question? I know I do. Do you?
-- Kathleen Brady, Tampa
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