Battles over the war

Re “Political surge in Iraq,” editorial, Feb. 18

You mention that the additional 30,000 troops made “tangible steps toward a genuine political reconciliation.” You failed to mention that on Jan. 21, The Times reported: “In the last 10 days, the military has dropped nearly 100,000 pounds of explosives on the area, which has been a gateway for Sunni militants into Baghdad.” This area includes the village of Arab Jabour. During the Spanish Civil War, the German military dropped 100,000 pounds of bombs on Guernica, Spain, a tragedy that outraged the world.

The “surge” may be working from an American military viewpoint but, I’m sure, not from the viewpoint of Iraqis living in and near Arab Jabour.

The media do not give us a sensitive picture of what this war has done to the Iraqi people. It is always about “our” interests, “our” policies and “our” dead and injured. If the U.S. was a person, we would give it a diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder.

Donald F. Hanley

Vista

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The United States did not tear apart Iraq, nor is Iraq torn apart. In fact, in stark contrast to the oft-repeated partisan rhetorical meme about civil war, Iraqis have demonstrated a staunch nationalistic resiliency. Iraqis have withstood numerous attempts by a lethal minority of Al Qaeda elements and other agitators to inject sectarian divisiveness, most notably with the Samarra mosque bombing. Iraqis are still demonstrating a preference for self-governance and self-representation, as they did previously with proudly elevated ink-stained fingers, to the dismay of those who wish to discredit the Bush doctrine.

Chris Scibelli

Los Angeles