Special panel should examine weapons fiasco
It's perhaps not surprising that Sen. Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, says he's "tired of making a mountain out of a molehill" regarding the Bush administration's use of false information to make its case for war with Iraq ("Senate rejects independent probe of Bush claims to justify Iraq war," July 17).
Senate Republicans seem to believe that the rush to war was justified, regardless of the specific rationales trotted out by the administration. But if the case for war was so strong and clear, why did the administration resort to the use of fabricated and misleading information?
It is obvious that the politically charged Congress cannot investigate this matter in a nonpartisan manner. An independent probe is the right way to proceed.
Senate Republicans should not block access to the truth. Certainly the families of those who have given their lives in the war on Iraq deserve to know why.
David Schwartz
Baltimore
Appalled by attacks on President Bush
I would like to remind the American public that we are at war: war against terrorism, war to ensure the stability and way of life of our country, war to bring our influence to bear on bringing peace to the Middle East ("U.S. troops face yearlong duty in insurgency fight," July 17).
Perhaps these objectives are not as obvious or dramatic as eliminating weapons of mass destruction, but they are a fundamental and proper responsibility for a great world power.
Lengthy tours of duty and casualties are a sad and heart-wrenching part of war.
I am a veteran and a lifelong Democrat who has never voted for a Republican presidential candidate. But I commend President Bush for doing what President Clinton should have done.
And I am appalled at the criticism voiced by leading Democratic congressmen and the lack of vision of many of my fellow citizens.
Albert Sherman
Baltimore
Administration lacks honesty or integrity
Cal Thomas said in a recent column that "the currencies of the administration are honesty and integrity" ("Don't let the seeds of doubt take root," July 16). Excuse me? This administration doesn't know how to spell the words.
The president, by way of Attorney General John Ashcroft, is trampling the Constitution by arresting people, locking them up and preventing them from talking to lawyers in order to properly defend themselves, and defying a federal judge -- all in the name of national security.
The administration rewrites the rules as it goes along. This is shameful behavior, and, in my view, impeachable. Our Founding Fathers must be spinning in their graves.
People had better wake up because if the above isn't enough to make chills run down your spine, the economy has tanked and our ill-advised invasion of Iraq, which was justified by the most questionable evidence of weapons of mass destruction, is proving more problematic than anyone had bargained for.
Eleanor Rogers
Baltimore
Let troops patrol streets of Baltimore
We all agree that the Iraq war has caused numerous deaths of our brave soldiers. I recently heard that since the beginning of the war 147 soldiers had died.
I think that our military might better spend its time elsewhere. Where might that be, you might ask? How about Baltimore ("City homicide total reaches 18 in July; toll at 160 for year," July 16).
Let the troops patrol and lay siege to the city.
Paul Wunder
Bel Air
Why does Comcast need Bereano?
I find it interesting that a company that has no competition in the area needs a savvy political insider (and convicted felon) such as Bruce C. Bereano to lobby for it ("Comcast reschedules San Francisco cruise for Md. legislators," July 17).
Perhaps competition in the area's cable industry would change the way Comcast Cablevision does business.
Christopher Pabst
Baltimore
MVA still needs downtown office
The Motor Vehicle Administration is closing its Charles Center express office "because more customers are using online and telephone services, and self-service kiosks" ("MVA is closing its express office at Charles Center," July 17).
This might be true, but it seems irrelevant. The question to ask is, "Are fewer people using the Charles Center office?"
When I renewed my driver's license, the place was packed, demonstrating that an office is needed in downtown Baltimore. If anything, the evidence suggests that the MVA should expand the place.
Michael S. Franch
Baltimore
Memories of Deane will last a lifetime
I got chills up and down my spine when I read Michael Olesker's column "Deane helped define an era in Baltimore" (July 17). Buddy Deane was bigger than big; he was a legend.
I remember the first time I went on the show as a guest. The year was 1958. I was 12 and looked 10, and you were supposed to be 14 to get on the show. The day the tickets arrived in the mail felt like Christmas.
I laid the tickets on the floor in front of our 10-inch TV and watched the show from start to finish, taking a peek at my tickets during commercial breaks. I was going on The Buddy Deane Show.
