Letters

Iraq: How Did It Come to This?

The cold and inhuman acts of abuse committed at the Abu Ghraib prison are, sadly, the first signs of the decline of a great power. CLAUDIA ESLAVA Miami

As a former u.s. soldier who served in Iraq, I am ashamed of the abuse inflicted on Abu Ghraib prisoners by American troops [May 17]. The actions shown in the photographs were deliberate, and the soldiers' excuse that they were simply following orders is absurd. Every U.S. service member has the right to decline an order that is morally wrong. All the proper training in the world cannot replace a lack of morals. This scandal undermines everything that I and many others did to help the Iraqi people. ROSS EDWARDS Palatine, Ill.

We should be angered by the extensive outrage over Abu Ghraib. It's easy for people to judge those soldiers, but I thank them for the job they are doing. They are dealing with fighters who kill Americans without thought or concern. The critics should shut up, unless they are willing to put their lives on the line. CHASE HOOZER Houston

The soldiers who were involved in this mess should be made to apologize directly to the prisoners they abused. Maybe then it would occur to them that the Iraqis are fellow human beings. JAYE WOTHERSPOON Pittsboro, N.C.

How can anyone in the Arab world ever again defend what the U.S. stands for? The shocking pictures displayed on TV screens in Arab homes only confirm the hypocrisy of U.S. policy in the Middle East. How can moderates in the Arab world advocate the American democratic system as a model for their own countries? The U.S.'s plans and policies for the Middle East are a complete mess. ADEL MALAIKA Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Although the conduct of a few American soldiers was abhorrent, even more repulsive were the crimes of the Iraqis who burned and hanged four of our citizens. Next time the media show pictures from Abu Ghraib, they should also run photos of the charred remains of U.S. civilians. Who was being inhumane? LINDA GRANT Roselle, Ill.

I held my head high with pride during the weeks and months following 9/11, as there was no widespread violence against Arabs or Muslims here in my adopted country. I have known places where actions much less damaging than the attacks would have caused a frenzy of retribution against innocent bystanders. I told others that this is a civilized society. But with the atrocities carried out by Americans, I hang my head with shame. RAVI KUMAR Buffalo, N.Y.

President Bush has apologized for the torture of Iraqi prisoners. Now it is time for Muslim clerics to denounce the terrorists or admit that Islam is fighting a war with us--a religious war. The Abu Ghraib pictures were not meant for public distribution, unlike the videos of the beheadings of noncombatants taped by Islamic murderers. The mullahs must show that this barbaric behavior is not tolerated--or admit to being accomplices. MARK PRICE Houston

Perhaps TV cameras should be mandatory at military prisons and detention centers around the world. Everyone ought to be able to see what goes on in all the places where people are being held against their will. MANJULA PADMANABHAN New Delhi

The soldiers who acted badly didn't lack training. They followed the Administration's "my way or the highway" attitude. Is it any surprise that they felt they could do anything they liked? I am an Army veteran who feels only shame. KATHLEEN C. BUTLER Wichita, Kans.

I am sick of bleeding-heart liberals crying over Abu Ghraib. As a former corrections sergeant and Marine who served in Gulf War I, I find it hard to take media reports at face value. I am not defending the actions of the prison guards, but I would like to point out there is more than one side to the story. CHRISTI FLYNN Las Vegas

Unbearable Reflections

In "Their Humiliation, And Ours" [May 17], essayist Nancy Gibbs wrote that the pictures from Abu Ghraib had painfully forced Americans "to see ourselves as the world sees us"--as oppressors without respect for other countries' citizens, their culture or history. I don't believe that Americans are that way, but the scandal has given jihadists a gift of incalculable value. How many gruesome, savage executions will they commit as retribution for the humiliation and mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners? SCOTT BLANCHARD Napoleonville, La.

Gibbs chose the right word to describe the effect of the prison-abuse scandal: humiliation. Some photo images find the retina of the heart and never go away: the fallen G.I.s on Omaha Beach on D-day, the napalmed girl in Vietnam and the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. And now the photos of depraved acts perpetrated against Iraqis by Americans at Abu Ghraib have soiled and overwhelmed the sensibilities of good people everywhere. RICH HOUSEKNECHT Greensboro, N.C.

Bush's Blind Faith

In "The Perils Of A Righteous President" [May 17], columnist Joe Klein criticized Bush's moral certainty and stated that "faith without doubt leads to moral arrogance." But faith with doubt is anything but faith. The atrocities that occurred at Abu Ghraib were detestable, but if this nation valued the integrity, morality and righteous Christian faith of our President, the acts at the prison would never have taken place. In a country that arrogantly prizes unaccountability, it is no wonder that a few of our service members acted in such a cruel and heinous way. ELIZABETH COOK Pinckney, Mich.

Klein's argument betrayed a basic misunderstanding of what faith is. True faith is marked by the absence of doubt. Large amounts of self-doubt do not make for solid and reliable leadership. What Klein espoused is the moral ambiguity that has brainwashed an entire generation of American intellectuals, who see the world in shades of gray. America is great because of the convictions of leaders like President Bush. TODD HANSELMAN Buford, Ga.

Although Christianity is a focal point in my life, I do not possess a red phone to the Almighty, and neither does Bush. It is tragic that his simplistic way of thinking does not allow for doubt or reflection and precludes the consideration of religious and cultural values that clash with his personal world view. ANN HARGROVE Leesburg, Fla.

Hands Off Our Superman!

"The Problem With Superman" reported on DC Comics' efforts to update the Man of Steel [May 17], but the last thing Superman needs is to be made darker or hipper. What he needs is respect. Years of tinkering to make Superman cooler, more human and relevant have robbed his character of its iconic status. Superman embodies the greatest of all human fantasies--that underneath our mild-mannered exteriors, we are all extraordinary and strong enough, powerful enough, good enough to solve our problems. It is everyone's fantasy that we can take actions to help others and make the world a better place. Plus Superman can fly! Attempting to bring his character down to earth robs him of all that makes him unique. RAY MORTON Glendale, Calif.

Maybe superman isn't cool to a group of guys in suits, but he's certainly the most popular superhero in the high school I go to. He was a phenomenon when the first comic books came out, and he has definitely remained fresh, thanks to the TV show Smallville. You can't go a day without seeing someone on the street wearing a Superman T shirt. ANAND RAJ Sunnyvale, Calif.

Bogged Down in Iraq

The reason for the disaster threatening the coalition forces in Iraq is the paralyzing inability of the U.S. to find an effective, acceptable and popular Iraqi leader [May 10]. By getting bogged down in tribal politics and cronyism as it tries to set up an Iraqi government, the U.S. is doing itself and the Iraqis a tremendous disservice. What is called for is a pro-U.S. Iraqi leader who has the brains, drive and charisma to keep the country united and energized to overcome the hurdles ahead. Until this crucial person has been found, the future looks grim. ABHISHEK BHATTACHARYYA Mumbai (Bombay)

If Al Gore or even Colin Powell were president, the U.S. and Britain would almost certainly not be in this Vietnam-like quagmire A blinkered President and his Secretary of Defense, against the warnings of many, implemented a gung-ho unilateralism that is sending thousands of angry young men into the arms of Osama bin Laden. Do Americans realize how low their country's reputation has sunk? The 9/11 attacks were a tragedy, but they provided an opportunity to act against terrorists that, combined with multilateral diplomacy, could have won the battle for Muslim hearts and minds. However, the Bush Administration's policies and those of Tony Blair have led us down the wrong path. PETER PARRY Ynys Mon, Wales

By diverting U.S. resources from the hunt for al-Qaeda terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan and going after stockpiles of nonexistent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Bush has jeopardized world peace and cheated the American public. As each day passes, the U.S. will find it more difficult to extricate itself from the mess in Iraq. NAVNITH KRISHNAN Bangalore, India

The Plainspoken President

In "Does Bush Really Get Us?" [May 3], Joe Klein wrote, "Clearly, the President and Karl Rove believe Americans want a strong, God-fearing, plainspoken leader who doesn't burden them with complexities." But wouldn't Americans rather be burdened with complexities that are true than hear lies that are spoken plainly? It is troubling that, in the eyes of many Americans, Bush is a decisive leader. With the current mess in Iraq and investigations revealing disturbing failures on his watch, I don't see how anyone can conclude that the President is decisive. In fact, the first words that come to my mind when I think of Bush are deception and manipulation. Those who still confidently place their fate in the hands of this President are simply out of touch with reality. The big question now is, Was the removal of Saddam Hussein worth the lives of hundreds of Americans and thousands of Iraqis? FELIX UMAH Rome

Who's in Charge?

Charles Krauthammer wrote that the President has no control over the economy [May 10]. That is patently absurd. Of course the impact of presidential policies and initiatives is far more subtle and complex than is often depicted in campaign rhetoric, but to assert that the economy is beyond a President's control is to ignore the wide-reaching effects of presidentially backed fiscal policies such as tax cuts and military spending. Krauthammer's view also ignores the blatant effect of government programs and spending on the economy. Budgets are a zero-sum game; you can't invest heavily at the same time in education, housing programs and the military. Each pattern of investment produces distinctly different outcomes, and budget priorities are principally determined by the President. If he cannot be held accountable for the state of the economy of his country, who can? REBECCA GRABER Montreal