Letters to the Editor
Ron Smith
Published Letters: 209 Editor's Choice: 11
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A Surge Without Meaning
[Read the article: A surge of phony spin on Iraq]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We are arming and training a mostly Shiite-majority army and police force. In Anbar Province we even arm and train a Sunni militia of 2300 men. Our Colonel in charge says that he "feels safer" among these Sunni's than with many Shiite units.
We know that a large pallet of American currency was stolen early in the war. Estimates went as high as $8 billion lost. Recently the NY Times reported a US government survey of 80,000 pistols and 110,000 AK-47 attack rifles unaccounted for. We know only that the arms were given to Iraqi's.
As a mostly Christian occupying army with few interpreters, wearing dark sunglasses and building a huge embassy in downtown Baghdad in the "cradle of Islam", we are a sight. Add in an insatiable thirst for oil and you see a picture that the world sees. No wonder that only 9% of our coalition troops are non-US. By December the UK will have reduced its force from a high of 40,000 to 5,000.
Iran, another enemy we are told, is Shiite. So why are we creating a Shiite state? And why are we arming two religious factions in a religious civil war?
Mr Cole informs us that this Administration and our Press are mis-representing the human casualty figures. This is no surprise. Yet I want to thank Mr. Juan Cole for his service to the truth.
As a Democrat and an older veteran I know something about the value of truthful reporting.
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The Key to Men Like Powell
[Read the article: Will the real Colin Powell stand up?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am not a religious person. But long ago and far away, someone spoke these words:
"The love of money is the root of all evil."
These words ended up in the Bible.
Colin Powell was in line to buy the Washington Nationals baseball team. So when in the last 50 years do you recall an Army General with enough money to buy a baseball team?
We all have a weakness for something. But when you can't explain the very odd behavior of someone with integrity, follow the money and you might find the answer.
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Glenn Greenwald May Receive the Edward R. Murrow Award
[Read the article: The truth behind the Pollack-O'Hanlon trip to Iraq]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If there is such an award, Greenwald may get it.
Wow! I printed all 10 pages for a friend and for the archive.
Three of us meet weekly for breakfast. We often discuss politics. Two of us are fairly active politically now and have been for the last three years. At about the same time we noticed that G.W. Bush was attempting to "burn the country down" blunder by blunder. We have wondered why more folks don't join us in becoming more active. My best guess is that a good answer could be provided by the 3rd member of our breakfast trio.
Ever the diplomat, this man hates to offend anyone. He stays busy in retirement with wife, children, grandchildren, friends, church, chores,and tennis. It is a tall order that keeps him busy doing the things that need doing and that provide enjoyment. To be fair, the two of us who are active are not involved family-wise as is our friend.
Where does political activism fit? Actually it doesn't fit for our third man. And after all why should it? My guess is that a full plate of obligations/ activities and the desire to "offend no one" is what keeps most Americans on the political sidelines.
But is this a true picture?
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The Rats Are Leaving a Sinking Ship
[Read the article: We'll go no more a-Rove-ing]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The Bush Administration is now going down in U.S. history as the most corrupt. Make no mistake that these folks are criminals who have committed "high crimes" against our country.
Now we await the Op-Ed by David Broder of the Washington Post saluting his close friend, Karl, as a great American.
How easy it was to bring low a country like ours. By thinking incorrectly that we had a free press that was a bloodhound for truth, I was so wrong. Marketers would dominate the election process with slick ads for knaves and attack ads for opposition candidates, either independent or Democrat. Reporters would be bought with money and access.
Someone said, "When money talks, few are deaf." The Republicans have lots of money. Recently a rich one, Rupert Murdoch, bought the Wall Street Journal to go along with Fox News, The London Times, etc. etc.
Can we ever recover? We are fat and not well informed. And one can question whether we are kind-hearted. There is a lot of work to do. Am I up to the challenge?
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Mitt Romney - Another Rich, Republican No-Show in Vietnam
[Read the article: Chris Matthews skewers Mitt Romney]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yes, Mr. Romney was a Mormon minister serving in FRANCE during the height of the Vietnam War. That is how he got that deferment from his draft board.
So what happened to Mitt Romney's desire to be closer to God when he was no longer draft eligible? Yes, he had a change of heart and left the ministry for Bain Capital Partners, a private equity firm. In 2007 Romney filed papers that estimated his wealth in the $190 million - $250 million range.
So like father like (son x5). Geez, it is comforting to know that Mitt is such a tough-guy on Iraq and wants to continue Bush's policies there.
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Oh, To Be a 10 Year-Old Today.
[Read the article: No wonder they called him Turd Blossom]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Coming in the next decade is an avalanche of books and magazine articles on these, our Machiavellian Mayberrys. They are so corrupt, so inept, so self-righteous, so disliked world-wide.
The theater will come alive! A young man in his 20's will have material for a lifetime. What part would you like to play? G.W. Bush, his dad, his brother Jeb, Dick Cheney, Gonzalez, Rove, Ashcroft, General Powell, Douglas Feith, Paul Bremer, Tom Delay, Congressman Foley, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, William Kristol, Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Norquist, Greenspan, Murdoch ? And for the young women, the roles are many.
Comedy, farce, and tragedy will dominate. But our golden age of the stage is coming again. Oh, to be a 10 year-old today.
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DIRIGO
[Read the article: No wonder they called him Turd Blossom]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thank you for the kind words and your thoughts.