Letters to NYT Editor from 2006

Letter to the editor at NYT

6/18/06

In your editorial “An Iraq Debate” the claim is made that both US generals and Iraqi officials have a desire for US troops to leave Iraq. It seems to me that this desire is not shared by the Bush administration, even though they may state otherwise. This editorial goes on to outline what needs to be done in Iraq for the US troops to leave, without taking note that they have been there over three years and have failed totally to achieve any of these goals. In fact, the situation continues to deteriorate.

It would seem that in order for the Iraqi troops to “stand up” and assume a position of being able to control their country and defend against possible aggressors, they would need an air force. I have heard nothing about providing the Iraqi military with planes and bombs to put on those planes. I have heard that Iraqi officials are talking about offering amnesty to their citizens who have fought with US troops at some point, however – which may explain the reluctance of the US military to establish an Iraqi air force.

The lack of concern exhibited by the current administration and our military towards Iraqi civilians is astonishing. They cannot be bothered to record and publish the names of the dead, if they notice that someone has been killed. If the over all goal in Iraq is to provide Iraqis with a decent life and a decent future, then evidence of working towards these goals should be evident. It is not. The lack of care in providing for their safety, comfort, welfare and well-being is easily noticeable.

In light of that fact, and in light of the fact that the situation continues to deteriorate markedly, if I were an Iraqi, I know I would want nothing more than for the US military to leave my country. This may mean further deterioration in the situation in Iraq in the short term, but it is becoming clearer every day that the situation can never improve (for the average Iraqi) if the US military is in their country and the US government is running the show.

Letter to the editor at NYT

6/16/06

I feel that an op-ed piece in your paper claiming that anti-war protests have gone to hundreds of US troop's funerals and protested is totally inaccurate. I am heavily involved in the anti-war movement and I have heard NOTHING about such activities. I actually cannot imagine the anti-war movement doing such a thing. The op-ed also has the claim that "hundreds have protested at military hospitals" also. I believe this is also untrue.

The only protests at military funerals that I have heard about are from the group that is glad IEDs are killing our troops because of homosexuality in the USA. They are not an anti-war group, they are the ugliest and most disrespectful PRO-WAR group around! I feel their behavior is just horrible.

Anti-war groups would never want to take joy in the killing or pain of another human being. That is clearly not the way to peace.

Please correct this before it becomes an established rumor that everyone believes.

To Letter to the editor at NYT

6/13/06

In the article “Oil, Politics and Bloodshed Corrupt an Iraqi City” the author states “In the shadowy world of Shiite politics, the fight is over power.” I would have to add that this was the real reason (unstated, of course) behind the US/UK invasion of Iraq – to control the area and the resources. And it should come as no surprise that local folks would also attempt to control the area and the resources, and fight with each other to do. They are just following our fine example. As Martin Luther King said, ‘violence begets violence.’