Going for Broke in Iraq

The obvious extension of Bruce Herschensohn’s May 12 commentary (“It’s a Fight for Survival -- Pull Out All Stops”) is that we should carpet-bomb the Middle East with nuclear weapons. After all, if we are going to defeat the Islamic terrorists, let’s do it and be over with it.

What Herschensohn forgets (as do those congressmen who are “outraged at the outrage” over Abu Ghraib, and as do those people who get all their news from right-wing talk radio) is that what made America the greatest nation in the history of the world was not its weaponry. It was the ideals embodied in the Constitution, a document that is being shredded daily while the American electorate fiddles.

Gene Wytrykus

Sierra Madre

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Herschensohn is almost on target. But even Herschensohn seems to fall victim to the “political correctness” that he denounces. It is not political correctness that keeps us from eliminating the terrorists. It’s Sens. John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Robert Byrd, Carl Levin and other Democrats who act like they’d rather see Americans murdered than to concede political gain to President Bush. Obviously, the last thing they want is a conclusive American victory in Iraq, and they are doing everything they can to prevent one.

It was a nice try, Bruce, but you need to tell it like it is -- to Bush. Tell him to hell with the election, do what has to be done; the election will take care of itself.

Richard Keck

Monrovia

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Herschensohn argues that during World War II, issues such as saving the environment and job creation were set aside because they were luxuries. He fails to mention that tax cuts also were set aside. During World War II, the top income tax rate was 91%. The top income tax rate now is 35% with conservatives pushing for more tax cuts. So, Mr. Herschensohn, in this war on terrorism, should we pull out all stops, or should we pull out all stops except tax cuts?

Sujan Vasavada

Washington