LETTERS
War? No
Re your Feb. 17 Comment, “War? No,” congratulations for having the courage to state your opinion on the prospect of war with Iraq. While ordinarily a strong supporter of the Bush Administration, I am afraid Mr. Bush will do major damage to himself and his legacy if he does not find a way out of this short of war, and perhaps even if he does.
James J. McDonald, Jr.
Fisher & Phillips LLP
Irvine
Thanks to Rick Reiff and Michael Lyster for a well-reasoned and courageous editorial regarding the impending invasion of Iraq. I have enjoyed my philosophical differences with Reiff because I have always respected his intellectual integrity. His position on this matter confirms my respect.
I do not believe that a majority of our fellow citizens support the war. Many I know fear being branded as unpatriotic for their opposition. In order to communicate the depth of opposition to this war it will take the willingness of people of all political persuasions to stand up and be counted.
Thank you for standing up. I stand next to you.
Richard Spence Wordes
Wordes, Wilshin & Conner LLP
Aliso Viejo
It shocked me to read your Feb. 17 treatise. It was inspiring. Articulate. And not vehemently right-wing. It was an analytic and independent analysis. It resonated with me. It was refreshing. How come none of our national journalists can show this thought?
You hit it on the nose. My adopted country, of which I am so proud for so many other attributes, has elected a bully. Worse, he has surrounded himself with 1970s hawks, tightly linked to the oil industry for which I used to work, who see the Middle East as an “oil policy” and an “Israel policy.” There are 300 million Arabs there.
Hussein is a monster, I agree. But he is one of 40-plus dictators in the world. He has never attacked the U.S. In fact, we funded him to fight Iran! No criticism then, by Reagan or Carter, about human-rights abuses. He invaded Kuwait over an oil theft dispute publicized everywhere except the USA. State Department officials were even consulted by him before he invaded, but no mention of this in the U.S. press. So why the rush to war? Why not inspect for another 10 years?
We argue trade changes China. Why not try that on Iraq and Cuba? A lot of inconsistencies here? Don’t pick on one billion people who imprison Catholics and kill Falun Gong. Don’t pick on genocidal African countries which kill one million people. Pick on a small, isolated, poor, Arab country,which just happens to sit on the No. 3 oil source in the world, and sits within 200 miles of Israel, and whose rivers carry a major source of Middle East water.
Sure, argue for imposing democracy. It took 100 years of suppression in the U.K. to spawn democracy in the U.S. It took decades of building to revolution in France. It took 70 years of communism to breed a middle class fertile enough in Russia. How come Iraq can grow democracy with the single event of a U.S. invasion when Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Iran and several other countries can’t? How naive is this Republican president of ours? Or how dumb does he think we are? And this is the guy who accused Clinton of “nation building?”
You made my day. I fear Bush and his cronies will ignore your articulate rational. Now that he has sent troops there, could he have the courage to bring them home?
Give me a break. Like George Orwell’s horrible “1984” states, the U.S. has come to rely on having an external enemy, to defocus from real internal problems. First Russia. Then Libya. Now Hussein. Who next? France?
David McCann
CEO
CarParts Technologies Inc.
San Juan Capistrano
Your editorial was “right on.” There is no such thing as a “quick war.” It’s the probable fallout (political, biological, chemical, economic and social) that we should be talking about,not duct tape and bottled water.
Judy B. Rosener, Professor
Graduate School of Management
University of California, Irvine
Opinions on a looming war with Iraq are everywhere these days. Indeed, it is almost impossible to go through a single day without being bombarded by the proponents and opponents of war. Yet, of everything I’ve read, I was most struck by the straightforward nature and logical arguments employed by one of my mentors, Rick Reiff, and a former co-worker, Michael Lyster, in their jointly written OCBJ editorial.
I found their argument so persuasive that I have been compelled not only to share it with my own readers, but to also let it stand for the position of my publication.
Nidal Ibrahim
Editor and Publisher
Arab-American Business Magazine
Huntington Beach
This may be your best work yet. I couldn’t agree more.
Steve Howard
The Busch Firm
Irvine
Rick Reiff is a masterful writer. It isn’t very often that I agree with his stance on issues, but we’re absolutely in sync on this one. War with Iraq will have consequences far beyond our wildest fears.
The Cowboy is doing great damage to our image abroad. Terrorism that has lain dormant will flourish. Let’s go after the terrorists and contain Iraq.
We are not the world’s cop, no matter how awful a dictator is.
Terry Jones
Newport Beach
I think that you are going to find more support for your position than you expect. Thoughtful people of various political positions that I talk to have serious reservations about this war. If terrorism is the issue then a war with Iraq without the support of other Middle Eastern countries is a terrible miscalculation.
We will win the war, but it could cause us to lose the peace.
Thank you for a courageous stand.
Glenn Hayes
Anaheim
