Letters: Aug. 11, 2003

Untruth & Consequences

"The next time Bush says we have to take military action because a country is threatening our security, how can we believe him?" JERRY HARRIS Houston, Texas

Regardless of whether the CIA approved George W. Bush's State of the Union message before it was delivered [IRAQ: THE EVIDENCE, July 21], the fact remains that the President presented a piece of false evidence in support of the Administration's case for going to war with Iraq. The CIA HAD warned members of the President's staff that the intelligence was not good enough to make the flat statement that Saddam Hussein had "sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." Even though Bush cited the British government as the source in his statement, he conveyed a falsehood. It was Bush, not the CIA, who deceived Americans; it is he and his Administration that must be held accountable. GREG COX Wheaton, Ill.

Those pernicious 16 words in the State of the Union speech will not topple the Bush presidency because the cumulative case for ousting Saddam was cogent, obvious and urgent. Arguments over such a trivial statement do not warrant this much hand wringing. KEVIN BARKER Bristow, Va.

One man is ultimately responsible for declaring war on Iraq: George W. Bush. The scapegoating of CIA Director George Tenet for the false uranium intelligence report does not conceal the fact that Bush, acting on flawed intelligence, launched a war against a sovereign nation not imminently threatening the U.S. Congress should be held accountable as well. Here's the scorecard to date on Iraq: no uranium, no weapons of mass destruction and no end to the loss of American life, just an ever growing cache of lies and excuses. DAN NACE St. Louis, Mo.

There is little justification for the partisan debate over whether there was sufficient evidence to go to war with Iraq. The pre-emptive strike was clearly in the U.S.'s national interest. It was an aggressive warning to terrorist-sponsoring states--especially Iran, Syria and North Korea--that there will be severe consequences for their dangerous behavior. The U.S. also provided enhanced protection to Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, and sent a strong message to Syria and the Palestinians that there is no alternative to peace. The U.S. assured itself of a favorable position on the availability of Middle East oil and freed the Iraqi people from a tyrant. REX SHANNON Santa Ana, Calif.

Apparently it was worse for a President to lie to the American people about having sex with an intern than it was for a President to lie to the American people, justifying a war on the basis of forged documents about uranium products. One lie led to impeachment; I am afraid the other lie will lead to re-election. CAROLYN MAKI Midlothian, Va.

There will always be a price to pay for freedom and security, and some mistakes will be made, even when intelligence is received from reliable sources. But the fact is that the Iraqi people, enslaved for 30 years by Saddam's crushing and terrifying government, can now begin to rebuild their lives. And we are no longer threatened by Iraq's possible use of horrific weapons. BARRETT C. CRANER Pleasanton, Calif.