Student's tests of security did the nation a favor

Re: Student told feds of plane breaches, Oct. 21.

Nathaniel Heatwole is a true patriot! He cares enough about his country's security to put himself in jeopardy by taking forbidden articles through airport security to test the safety procedures. Obviously since he sent authorities an e-mail explaining and describing his actions, he is not a criminal or a threat to national security. He succeeded in exposing serious holes in airport security, and for this he should be praised.

But alas, his crime of embarrassing the national security authorities will be seen as far more serious than his actual actions. For this, I'm sad to say, he will surely be convicted of some trumped-up charge. Ten years in prison for caring about your country's safety? Once again politics will get in the way of actual concern for American citizens.

Beware the annoyed bureaucrat

Re: Student told feds of plane breaches.

Nathaniel Heatwole surprised the Transportation Security Administration, Southwest Airlines and airport security in at least two major U.S. cities. He caught them all snoozing on the job. So now it's his misfortune to learn that when these agencies are rudely awakened, they are in a bad mood.

Deputy TSA Administrator Stephen McHale says, "renegade acts to probe airport security for whatever reason will not be tolerated, pure and simple." He goes on to state, "Amateur testing of our systems do not show us in any way our flaws . . ."

Just a minute, Mr. McHale. In the first place, this test (and I believe it was just that) was conducted by a kid who e-mailed you the details of his actions and included his full name and contact information - more than a month earlier. His acts were tolerated. From a purely pragmatic standpoint, you were so far behind Heatwole's actions that whatever terrorist act might have been planned would've been accomplished before you knew what was happening. In light of what he was doing, and considering the point he has made in doing so, Heatwole was acting completely in the open. He made all of you look like complete amateurs, and now you're angry about it.

If you decide to take a tough stance at this point, consider this: If professional terrorists had planted those items on planes, you would be ducking plenty of wreckage right now, including the bits and pieces of your career.

Enlist his expertise

Re: FBI: How did he hide box cutters?, Oct. 19.

Rather than assuaging bruised egos by hauling Nathaniel Heatwole through the gantlet of prosecution, federal law enforcement officers might consider enlisting his obvious expertise in defeating current protection to improve the security he has so deftly pointed out is faulty.

Democrats show lack of fortitude

Re: Democrats and Iraq.

The Pelosi/Kennedy/Dean wing of the Democratic Party is so far off base on Iraq it would be humorous if it were not so serious. These left-leaning, but not-so-well-meaning souls, are so blinded by their hate for the president that they are willing to fall into the same old trap that liberals have always occupied when it comes to tough situations.

The Saddam Husseins of the world have always been able to thumb their noses at the United States due to their understanding of our internal politics. They are well aware of the Democratic Party's inability to show any internal fortitude when it comes to situations like the one we face in Iraq. Why do you think they pick off a soldier or two per day? They know what the impact will be with the less committed among us.

Don't the Democrats realize that their constant fighting with the administration over every single issue in Iraq is just what the terrorists around the world are counting on? Who do you think wins if the Democrats force us out of Iraq prior to completing the task before us? The president, contrary to Democratic claims, told us this would take time, effort and sacrifice. The lefties in this country need to put this country's security interests first, rather than trying to constantly score political points.

Billions for a failed policy?

Last spring congress approved $78-billion for Afghanistan and Iraq and now it appears that President Bush will get another $87-billion to spend in what appears to be a perpetual state of guerrilla warfare.

At a time when 38 states are facing massive deficits, Congress recently approved Bush's tax cuts benefiting the very rich and leaving the real burden of this war on the middle and lower classes. Therefore, when I hear Republicans speak of "shared sacrifice," I wonder what sacrifice they are making toward this war effort.

This recent U.N. resolution is simply symbolic in that we will see very little money or troop effort from other countries. I hope that the American people will realize that, yes, we have liberated them from Saddam Hussein, but as long as United States is seen as an occupier of that land, we will continue to have casualties and incite fundamentalist reactions throughout the land.

Considering that the world knows that this war was built upon misleading evidence, to continue to throw billions of dollars toward a failed policy makes no sense. Therefore, America must become part of worldwide effort that truly seeks to empower the Iraqi people to take charge of their own reconstruction. It is up to the American people to put pressure on their congressional representatives to not allow the Bush administration to continue to use the war on terror as an excuse to keep our troops there.

Trying to discredit the president

The Democrats are continuing their big lie efforts to discredit President Bush.

From the very beginning President Bush has said this war was going to be long and costly, both in money and lives. He has said his tax cuts will help the economy. He has been right both times. He has won great victories at the United Nations. More than 80 nations are now saying they will support us in Iraq. Of course France and Germany are stalling on troops and aid, but they will come around.

All we hear from the liberal newspapers such as the Times and other left radical news media is how many solders are killed. Very little is mentioned as to the headway we have made. An Iraq government is being formed. Electricity and water are being restored. A free society is being realized after 70 years of dictatorship. A poll recently taken showed that more than 75 percent of the Iraqi people want us to be there.

It took years to rebuild Japan and Germany. And we still have troops in both countries. The American public needs to realize they are not going to get an instant fix on this. It will take a long time.

The Democrats are pulling out all the stops on their lies about President Bush. I just hope the American people consider the source.

Uncomfortable similarities

Re: A Baghdad perspective, letter, Oct. 16.

As a career retired Navy medical adviser in Vietnam, I read this letter with astonishment at the parallels between Capt. Riedel's picture of Baghdad and my own personal experience in Saigon. We, too, built roads, bridges, cleaned streets and made ball fields. We, too, coordinated with nongovernmental agencies to feed the people, renovate hundreds of schools, built marketplaces and trained them to form a democratic government.

We also recruited and trained the Vietnamese Police Force, and established neighborhood security forces. We also hired locals to be workers in our camps, doing everything from laundry to being our interpreters and going on patrol with our soldiers. I personally worked with a Vietnamese physician in a joint Vietnamese/American medical clinic.

In Vietnam also they said that the people who are fighting against us are the old regime, Viet Cong, outside forces. They said time and again, "We are winning, it just takes time."

I am not saying that the situation is the same, but there are undeniable similarities, and if we do not recognize history, we may be doomed to repeat it. I, for one, lived in Vietnam, and the similarities are all too real to me. I was not comforted at all by Capt. Riedel's message.

Diminishing their sacrifice

In an Oct. 16 letter to the editor (It's them or us), the writer compares the war in Iraq to World War II and even thinks this war is more important. Remarks like his diminish the sacrifice made by millions who answered the call during World War II. This is vastly different from the forces now fighting in Iraq, most of whom would rather not be there.

We were not attacked in our country by Iraq, although our president has done his best to convince the American people that Iraq was responsible for 9/11.

Yes, we are a democracy and should be a role model for other countries, but does that mean that we should attack any country that does not think as we do?

Sadly, there are too many Americans who have not opened their eyes to the fact that this war does not further democracy in the world. All it does is alienate our friends and add to our list of enemies.

Our freedoms are being eroded here at home. But we can go into another country to assure theirs. Is something wrong with this picture?

Halliburton price gouging

Re: Democrats: Halliburton overcharging for gasoline, Oct. 16.

While reading the Times the other day, I found a small item on Page 13 that I found to be truly incredible. First, Reps. Henry Waxman and John Dingell have informed the president in writing that a Halliburton subsidiary, KBR, is charging - no make that gouging - the American taxpayers between $1.62 an $1.70 a gallon for gasoline needed by the U.S. Army. I use the term gouging because, according to the congressmen, gasoline at the Iraqi pumps goes for between 4 cents and 15 cents a gallon!

The second thing I find very troubling is why wasn't this a major headline rather than a Page 13 notebook item? Am I being "unpatriotic" to even question the motives and actions of our current administration? If someone out there has a logical, fair explanation as to why this whole deal is sound and good for our country and our servicemen (One of whom is my son who, thank God, is now safely back from Iraq.) please tell me. I'm all ears.

Where is the liberal press?

Re: Democrats: Halliburton overcharging for gasoline.

Well, there it was buried on page 13A! Why wasn't this article featured more prominently? The stink coming from the obvious corruption and greed emanating from this company, Halliburton, is disgusting! If any of you journalists start uncovering this and the ties that Dick Cheney has to all this it would probably make Spiro Agnew look good! Where are all the members of the so-called liberal press? It seems the paper is beginning to swing to the crazy right! Where is the outrage we should be reading about?

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