Beware Bush/Cheney mantra on Iraq as excuse to invade Iran

I disagree with our congressional representatives on the Iraq war. We need to get out of Iraq as soon as we can, but we have a moral obligation to do right by the millions of Iraqi refugees suffering because of the war that was started in our name and based on lies. We have a moral obligation to the troops, and we need to keep up the pressure on our government to take care of them and their families. We cannot take it for granted that our government will do the right thing or even do it competently.

Americans need to be hyper-vigilant lest we find ourselves in another pre-emptive war based on lies with Iran. Beware of the Bush/Cheney mantra that Iran and Syria are the key bad actors. We saw this tactic after 9/11 with Iraq (Google Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the L.A. Times). How would the Alaska delegation vote if the president asked permission of Congress to wage war against Iran? I want them to vote no.

I want my government to have a smart diplomatic strategy in the Middle East, focused on peace and justice and pursued by honest and honorable representatives of the United States. Our only hope is if Congress does its duty as a co-equal branch of government and keeps the president in check until January 2009.

---- Barbara Belknap

Juneau

Vital war in Iraq deserves vigorous long-term support

Sen. Ted Stevens, Rep. Don Young and Sen. Lisa Murkowski are offering only lukewarm support for the Iraq war. This is a vital war in a critical region for the West's future security. It deserves vigorous long-term support.

After the first 21 days it turned into a guerrilla war. This type of war is neither clean nor short. It took the Brits 12 years to win in Malaysia and those guerrillas did not have convenient re-supply across a nearby border. Our job in Iraq is more difficult, but much more important. Gen. David Petraeus' September report should not be the basis for any major decision. It should be treated only as an indication of what additional support he will require.

The al-Qaida component among our enemies considers this to be a worldwide war. If they can establish any kind of safe haven in Iraq they will be empowered to expand their efforts elsewhere. They already think they destroyed the Soviet Union and so will be even more encouraged if they can claim to have beaten the army of the only other superpower. Their supply of terrorists will expand enormously as recruits flock to the "winning" team.

The movement of the Sunnis from enemies to supporters in Anbar is one of our first major signs of success in several years.

---- Donald N. Anderson

Anchorage

Focus the war on the true enemy, al-Qaida, not on coming elections

The conflict in Iraq is a sad example of the failure in U.S. leadership. Instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan first, they created a two-front war by going into Iraq, and now that Afghanistan is not contained, al-Qaida -- our true enemy -- has re-emerged. All involved in the formation of this fighting philosophy have failed to do what is necessary: Hold Pakistan accountable for its failure to secure its own borders, much less giving terrorists a haven; and give military members on the ground what they need to execute the war. I know the American military members are dedicated and committed to obeying orders, but I do not have any more confidence whatsoever that the chain of command, generals, and civilian leadership are doing anything more than trying to score political points for the coming election. If we pull out of Iraq, the military will be involved in even more conflicts. Kosovo, Somalia and the slaughter in Rwanda occurred under Democratic leadership. Terrorism is "worldwide deployable." The hard reality is there are people who want us dead because they hate us. Finish the job, bring the fight to the enemy, and then be done.

---- Susan Lilly

Anchorage

When a military draft is needed to carry on the war, what then?

With all due respect to Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young, there is one timetable in the Iraq war that cannot be ignored. That is March 2008 -- not just because it will be the fifth anniversary of the American invasion, but because that is when the deployment of "the surge" will be up. My question is: Are they prepared to tell these men and women and their families that their tours of duty will be extended? If they are not prepared to do that, then they must be contemplating reauthorizing the draft. If so, my question is: Are our congressional delegates' children and grandchildren going to share the same risks as the children and grandchildren of the less well connected?

It is unlikely that Gen. David Petreus is going to say anything substantially different in September 2007 than the Iraq Study Group said in December 2006. The problem is the Iraqis are never going to stand up for Iraq -- which has, after all, only been in existence since 1926. They will stand up for Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds. The fate of the former Mesopotamia was sealed in March 2003. As badly as we all feel about what will happen when we go; there is no amount of American blood or treasure that will absolve us of invading a country that posed no threat to us.

---- Mary Minor

Anchorage

Leave Iraq at once; the chaos won't be any worse than it is now

Big Oil runs Alaska and our congressional delegates. Big Oil is in favor of gaining control over Iraq's oil fields and, to this end, one of the required "benchmarks" is for the Iraqi government to open its oil fields to international oil companies. Of course our congressional delegation supports this! Alaska gets tons of military money also! Win-win!

U.S. presence in Iraq has been the answered prayer to any and all terrorists who (often rightly) resent America. We have created new enemies, slaughtered innocents, refused to report on the invasion accurately, presented an enticing target with our troops, and destroyed both Iraq's infrastructure and its governing bodies. We have sent millions of innocent Iraqis scrambling for safety while devoting very little money or energy toward their protection. We are committing similar mistakes and horrors in Afghanistan.

Yes, the U.S. should immediately withdraw both military and private contractors from Iraq. We should pay reparations for the damage done. I do not believe the chaos that will inevitably follow our leaving will be any worse than the chaos that is now in full swing with our military and private contractors present. We may not like the government that wins control, but I do not believe the U.S. has a right to control foreign governments or grab resources simply because we are more powerful.

---- Robyn Lauster

Anchorage

Our delegates blindly follow 'King George'; throw them out

I emphatically say it is way, way past time to throw the bums out, as this tired old delegation doesn't reflect, in the least bit, my total and solidly American and Alaskan values, either in terms of individual liberty or freedom. But instead, they rather emphatically reflect an ideology much, much closer to fascism and imperialism, as they obediently and blindly lend their fervent support to old "King George" and his egomaniacal behavior.

---- Alan R. Munro

Juneau

Democrats could do more; delegation's stance is appalling

Most of the D.C. Democrats are not truly trying to end this war as the Daily News' question puts forth. They were not tricked into this war by the G. W. Bush regime -- they're a part of it.

The D.C. Democrats are not holding Bush accountable for lying America into this war and they continue to fund this war. That is in no way an "effort to begin bringing the troops home"! They can end the war by cutting funding. Stopping funding would harm troops only if Bush chooses to leave them in Iraq. To anyone who believes that Bush would leave unfunded troops in harm's way in Iraq, I have to ask: Why would you support a "commander guy" who would do that?

As for Alaska's congressional delegation, I recently received a reply from Rep. Don Young's office in regard to my request for him to support impeachment of Bush and Cheney, and it repulsed me. Sen. Ted Stevens' and daughter of Frank Murkowski's ongoing support is just as appalling.

"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people." (Martin Luther King Jr.)

---- Thomas Higgins

Anchorage

Justifications for war don't wash; vote the delegation out of office

Sen. Ted Stevens, Rep. Don Young and Sen. Lisa Murkowski just repeat the tired old Republican party line(s). No mention of the dishonest way we got into this mess, or all the missteps since its start. They repeat the "we just have to see this thing through" line. No, we do not.

The reasons given by this administration, and its supporters, why the U.S. military must continue killing and being killed, maiming and being maimed, change as it becomes evident the previously given reason is not carrying the day. Just some of those reasons include: We have to stay or the "evildoers" will get the oil. If we leave there will be genocide. We must stay to honor the service of our troops. And, of course, they just cannot give up their stated link between Iraq and al-Qaida and 9/11. All of these are either false or beyond the control of our government and military.

Yes, it is time to bring the troops home and let the Iraqis deal with their own problems. Yes, doing so will likely cause chaos in the area. Yes, our inevitable departure from this unfortunate country may leave would-be terrorists stronger.

My view is that the president should be impeached and our delegation should be voted out of office for its part in supporting and prolonging this war.

---- Charles Wade

Willow

Impeach Bush and Cheney; end this imperialistic folly

I have been against this illegal invasion since the corporate media began grooming the American people into complicity in mid-2002. I read the so-called smoking gun dossier and was appalled at how vague the document was. I watched how Fox News, CNN and other major networks used double-speak to spread the lies President Bush and Vice President Cheney wanted us to believe. In October 2002, I took my son to our first peace rally. On March 19, 2003, I collapsed to my knees sobbing, realizing our country was embarking on a dangerous road of no return -- one that would cost our nation lives, credibility with the world and economic stability. On Jan. 27, 2007, I stood with over a half million people on the National Mall, demanding immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq and the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.

The only way we can make our way back to some kind of respectable position in the eyes of the world is to withdraw troops now and impeach Bush and Cheney. End this imperialistic folly, offer compensation to Iraq and ask the world for forgiveness. We the people of the United States must hold our elected officials accountable for the murder of thousands of innocent people. The apathy of many kills daily. The world is watching and counting on us to stop this insanity.

---- Katy Parrish

Anchorage

Most Americans want us out of Iraq; why are we still there?

In 1992, then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney was asked how many American casualties Saddam Hussein was worth, and he replied, "not very damned many." And he agreed then that the U.S. should not get bogged down in trying to govern Iraq. While he was campaigning, the president denounced the previous administration in using our troops for "nation-building." So, rather than admit he was wrong about Iraq, our president consistently changed his purpose for invading this country, leaving his reasoning a little fuzzy. There were no WMDs, no ties between Saddam and al-Qaida. And the only smoking gun was the one in the vice president's hand after shooting his friend in the face while quail hunting.

For whatever reason, Congress and the American people were lied to about this war. A current poll shows the majority of Iraqis want the U.S. military forces to immediately withdraw from their country, and another poll shows a majority of Americans want the same thing. Why isn't this administration, or Congress, listening to the will of the people? Who are they listening to?

---- Susan Bright

Anchorage