Reader Comments

Editor: In regard to your “Bush Iraq Gamble, “I'm a Republican and can't wait to see Bush go. Harlan Arl

Editor: Regarding your “Bush Iraq Gamble” We must stand with Pres. Bush on this matter as we cannot fail there. Conservative, Liberal it doesn't matter--this is an American matter. I have a nephew there and he needs our support not our haggling. Billie I Reynolds

Editor: Like everyone else, I keep trying to make sense of the Iraq problem. From an early supporter of the removal of Saddam to a reluctant supporter of leaving (and watching from nearby bases) I found your analysis in “Bush Iraq Gamble” clarified elements of the problem. “The biggest part of the gamble might end up being the president’s overriding the recommendations of his top uniformed military advisors, the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After previously having maintained that a president should follow military advice from his top generals, he was careful in his speech to the nation to say that they have ‘reviewed’ the plan to assure it ‘addresses these mistakes’ of past policy and ‘they report that it does.’ He did not say the Chiefs supported the new approach, and they do not.” This reminded me of a story related in Lt. Gen. Charles Cooper's book, "Cheers and Tears." He was in the Oval Office in November 1965 and witnessed LBJ's refusal to accept the advice of the Joint Chiefs on the  Vietnam conflict after they had requested a private meeting with him. We know the outcome of that decision. It was a day, he wrote, Vietnam became America's longest war. Well, history has a way of teaching the same lessons over and over again. Regards, Alan Caruba

Editor: Unlike “Bush Iraq Gamble,” I supported the war in Iraq because we can not have every two bit dictator defying the international community and the EU and the UN are incapable of punishing those who commit felonies and crimes against the law of nations. However I could not imagine how incompetent this administrant would prove to be in the war in Iraq, Katrina and domestic security. Last night I watched Sen. John Warner defend his support of the Senate Iraq resolution. Warner did not come out and say that he had lost confidence in the administrations ability nor did he say he was succumbing to the recent polls. Instead, he said we had given the Iraqis the tools and they had failed to do their part to defeat the insurgents. Warner's facts are wrong. The facts are that the hospitals we built in Iraq were junk and almost unusable, the first batch of military hardware purchased for the Iraq Army and Police were out of date and did not function. We were unable to make the Iraq people feel secure. So it seems to me, that many Republicans voting for this resolution are not sticking their fingers in the air to see which way the wind is blowing but rather it is simply a case of loosing confidence in the president and the administrations ability to do important jobs with competence. Tim Sullivan

Editor: In your “Bush Iraq Gamble” don't promote 'Blind Liberalism'. Establishing democratic governments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia is the road to real long term peace in this terrorist war. Otherwise al-Quada will just sit back in those nations and plan more and more terrorist mass killings on the Western World especially in America. This is not Rocket Science. JNS, PE

Editor: In response to your “Bush Iraq Gamble” there are never any guarantees of success in a war. There are guarantees for failure, though--and I, for one, want no part of that result. Neither would any other thinking American if they were not constantly harangued with the misinformation that abounds from the Left and the lily-livered opportunists in the Republican ranks. When we abandon our God-given common sense and succumb to the advice of those who are deserting all principles solely to further a political agenda that ignores the best interest of our country, we will surely fail. Our President, George W. Bush, refuses to do that and is pilloried by those that say he is hard-headed. Those in the military that disagree and rebuke our policies are of the "old school" that vilified Secretary Donald Rumsfeld--who will most assuredly be remembered as one of the greatest Secretary's of Defense in our history--because he made sweeping changes that they could not accommodate to their way of thinking. His accomplishments during his tenure are beyond awesome--and certainly not as described by one who graduated from the basement of his class at the Naval academy - Senator John McCain. My deepest loathing is reserved for all those in Congress that have been briefed all along by the president and his cabinet members regarding Classified information that we are not privy to--have signed on to actions at that time--but then go before the public and profess ignorance and approbation against the actions taken. There is a special place in hell reserved for such perfidy and I wish them a speedy journey. No punishment is strong enough for the danger that is placed on our nation by their aid to the enemy. Mary Kay Smedstad, Katy, Texas

Editor: Throughout your article “Bush Iraq Gamble” the generals are quoted. Sure, they are the military men who look at the plans and either endorse them or reject them. The enlisted men are the ones who will either make the plan work or fail. I feel that when the enlisted men with whatever support, including fixed wing, can isolate an area where a militia is located and wreak havoc on that area. The militias have appeared to be strong by using death squads or by being supported by Iran and Syria. If our troops can get them in a location where they must fight, I feel that there is no doubt that the American fighting men will win. The Administration must keep the pressure on Mr. Maliki so that he does not back down as he has in the past. If he does, he should be removed. Edward Hartlage, Sunset Beach, N. C.

Editor: Your “Bush Iraq Gamble,” raises the question of the Democrat Party response to the President's State of the Union Address. It was a typical Democrat Party distortion. The Democrat Party will negotiate our country into a failure just like President Truman (D) did with Korea. Sen. Jim Webb (D) quoted President Eisenhower (D) but he should have quoted General Douglas MacArthur. President Eisenhower "surrendered the struggle" against totalitarianism after President Truman held the reigns on Gen. MacArthur in order to ease tensions with the Soviet Union at the close of WWII. Gen. MacArther told President Truman that with a short, strong effort requiring us to bomb the attacking Chinese from the northern side of the Yalu River, the US would eliminate the Communist Chinese army who were launching attacks against American troops. Truman was not willing to take the political heat from Joseph Stalin for violating Russian airspace, as our planes would need to do during the approach. MacArther laid out a plan for the Nationalist Chinese Army (on Taiwan) to move across to the mainland and re-establish control after we eliminated the military capability of the Communist Chinese Party. Truman was weak because the people had grown "weary of the war". Boy ... does that sound familiar!! As a consequence we are STILL IN KOREA with our soldiers on the fence EVERY DAY contrary to the reckless comments from Sen. Jim Webb. And the Communist in China are nuclear capable and have recently launched anti-satellite missiles capable of knocking out our communications. Webb is the consummate Democrat Party hack-distortionist where lying is not shamed and the media refuses to spend a few hours of research to counter "reckless" statements made on national TV. Thanks, Bob Koop, Middletown, Ohio

Editor: Nathan Tabor’s “Years To Build a House” is proof positive that if your life saving plans include the government to help you have a seriously flawed plan. Ken Lowder, Baytown, Tx.

Editor: Daniel Pipes’ “Peaceful Muslim Victory” makes a point well taken. Islam will succeed if radical Islam doesn't provoke a new crusade in the West able to combat all of Islam. Dick Piqua, OH

Editor: Regarding Vincent Fiore’s “Kissy-Face on Obama,” according to an editorial in the Investor's Business Daily, Barak Obama is a black nationalist who seems to racially and religiously divisive to be a credible candidate for president. Brian Lynch (See here)

Editor: What do you feel the chances for a Guliani/McCain or McCain/Guliani ticket are against a Hillary/Obama or Edwards/Obama ticket? Ralph Buller [Editor: not good]

Editor: I like your overall viewpoints as expressed by John Goodman’s “Dems drugs Cost More?” One issue that has not been addressed as far as I can tell is the one involving Alternative and Complementary Health Care. It has the potential to lower overall health care costs by expanding the options available to treat some of the more expensive illnesses here in the US. An example: I was diagnosed ten years ago with Type 2 Diabetes. I am NOT overweight, but had to go on oral medication. I sought out alternative doctors, and went on a regimen that included specific supplements. As a result, I still have no symptoms typical of diabetics. And I am not placing a burden on the health care system. There are many other diseases that respond incredibly well, but the general medical community, especially the AMA, refuses to consider most of these - they are much less expensive, need more patient & doctor communication, and tend to have fewer side effects. ENCYCLOMAN

Editor: I am very disappointed in the Republicans. Not much progress to report. We have open borders, unbelievable gross spending, too many RINOs in the party undermining conservative goals, RINOs disloyal to the President, country, and military during a war, Republicans taking bribes, Republicans cowardly and not fighting the demon-crats, no ANWAR drilling, no permanent tax cuts, Republicans ran away from Tom Delay, no social security fix, no school vouchers, overlooked perversion in the party and disgusting gay pandering. I am sick and things in NY are absolutely pitiful and hopeless. Thank-you, Raymond Miuccio

Editor: Until conservative "leaders" get their act together, and start showing real leadership, please count me as very disappointed observer. The Republicans had it all [both houses of Congress, and the White House] with the exception of real leaders... they deserved to lose the last election; but the problem is the democrats didn't deserve to win.

Now you have put us in a real mess--get some backbone, show some real leadership. A strong conservative, Mark Jamrog