Letters to the Editor

I've followed the Iraq debacle for several years and doubt these claims but I can accept the statements if they can be verified. What is Mount's source? I'd like to verify this for myself. My prediction is that Mount can't provide any source for his information -- that is, other than the Republican Party. If that is the case, the information can't be trusted.

Brian D. Gregory
Bremerton

Bush even lied about what kind of leader he is

Stop! Stop! Stop! Please stop telling me that everyone knew there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. We hear it again from Ted Van Dyk on Thursday's editorial page. Every right-wing journalist and letter writer hands us that line.

Everyone did not believe there were WMD. I did not believe, and millions like me did not believe. Why didn't I believe? Aside from the fact that President Bush had lied about everything else to that point, think "I'm a uniter, not a divider" and "I'm a compassionate conservative" just for starters.

I did not believe because the experts in Iraq monitoring and looking for them before the war told us there were none there. Saying everyone believed there were WMD over and over again will not make it so. Our government did not attack Iraq because everyone thought there were WMD. Enough already.

Diane Bowers
Shoreline

There's more to exit strategy than leaving

I am pleased by our nation's discussion on creating an exit strategy from Iraq. However, the discussion needs to shift from the simple withdrawal of troops to addressing the underlying question: How does our nation shift from being an occupying force to a security force? This shift is not just about the withdrawal of troops but about allowing decisions to be made by the Iraqi government and its citizens. This shift is difficult for any person or organization in power because it means giving up control.

There are three strategies that could begin this process.

First, we need to be an international law-abiding force that is subject to the Geneva Conventions. Therefore, we need to withdraw all contracted military soldiers out of Iraq who are not accountable to the Geneva Conventions or the U.S. public.

The resources spent on the exuberant salaries should be passed on to our brave men and women in the military who will assume the security force positions. Our remaining forces, under the direct supervision of military commanders, need to operate within the agreed-upon parameters set by the Iraqi government.

Next we need to support the Iraqi parliament to establish business rules and contracts that allow Iraqi businesses to lead in the reconstruction efforts. All corporations that came into the country under no-bid contracts need to be put on notice.

The Iraqi government should have the choices of what entities rebuild their country, how the dollars are spent and the audit process to ensure ethical practices.

Finally, we cannot assume that the Iraqi people will want any U.S. military bases on their soil. When all is said and done, we would be fortunate to have the Iraqi people welcome our U.S. embassy.

Tina Orwall Shamseldin
Normandy Park

Columnist perpetuates administration's lies

P-I columnist Ted Van Dyk is as corrupt as Dick Cheney and George W. Bush. There is no other explanation for Thursday's editorial comments.

His logic is that Bush didn't lie to Congress because Congress believed the lies. If I tell a lie and you believe me, does that make me honest? No, and Van Dyk is dishonest for making that argument.

He says outing a covert CIA operative is OK because everyone already knows who they are. Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald says no one knew. Van Dyk says finding out is as easy as looking in a phone book.

Van Dyk claims Valerie Plame wasn't a field agent for years, citing right-wing talking points he can't prove. Covert agents can deepen their cover with inactive periods; that's how they remain covert.

Exposing Plame endangered her, other agents and us. She protected us from nuclear attack. This is the most impeachable offense ever (besides lying us into war), and Van Dyk says, "It hardly matters."

I have a standard question for Michael Moore bashers, and none have delivered. Provide one notable propagandistic lie Moore presented in "Fahrenheit 911."

Van Dyk is dishonest and should resign alongside Judy Miller and Bob Woodward.

Ted B. Ellis
Shoreline

DEMOCRATS

Party needs to wake up and get back in the game

Kudos to Helen Thomas for her Tuesday column. She hits the nail on the head in that the Democratic Party is going to blow it big time if we fail to articulate a compelling set of alternatives to the misadventures promulgated by the current administration. Along those lines, she presents a number of extremely viable proposals: championing withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, to be replaced by a U.N. peacekeeping force; lobbying for a just package of benefits for veterans, who have endured great hardship and sacrifice in this war; and crafting a viable proposal for universal health insurance, to guarantee access to care for all Americans.

It's clear that criticizing Bush and his cronies is not enough. We must press forward with a strong and compelling agenda to get our country back on track. And now is the time!

John Newport
Port Townsend

HOUSEWIFE

Now let's destigmatize another word ...

Regarding Lucy Cavendish's Nov. 20 opinion piece, housewife may no longer be a dirty word, but when will househusband achieve the same status? When men begin writing books and articles about their struggle to balance career, household duties and time with their children and wives, and when an equal proportion of men decide to put a stop to their chaotic lives and take on the role of househusband, I will smile a huge smile and throw a party. Feminism will finally have found true success.

Jill Perry
Bellevue

Woman's freedom comes from others' hard work

Well, the article about housewives is very cute. The author said, "It's much more fun to have freedom." I say, "Duh." What planet is she living on?

I remind her that the only reason she was able to come to that earth-shattering conclusion is because thousands of women have worked to break the glass ceiling she so casually dismisses. It wasn't that long ago that women in this country didn't have the options that she enjoys today. And in many parts of the world, women have never had the luxury of choosing how to spend their time.

My burning question to Lucy Cavendish is, "Where was your husband when you were working so hard doing it all? Why did you have to work so hard that you eventually gave up?"

When are the men going to step up and carry their share of the child-

care load? Why should women have to give up careers to stay home? It's not about women being free to stay home.

It's about liberating men so they can do it.

Meg Connelly
Bothell

PLAN B

FDA intervention threatens women

In December 2003, an FDA-convened panel of experts supported (23-4 vote) over-the-counter availability for Plan B, emergency contraceptive pills. This should have led to approval of the status change, but FDA's political-appointed leadership intervened, indefinitely delaying approval.

A recent Government Accountability Office report deemed the FDA's actions "unusual." Each day during the almost two years the FDA balked, an additional 10,000 U.S. women had an unintended pregnancy. One-third of those women were teenagers, many of whom have little access to health care and face higher health risks with pregnancy. Every day, 60 to 80 women become pregnant as a result of rape.

It is estimated that making emergency contraception widely available can potentially prevent at least half of unintended pregnancies in the United States (about 2 million pregnancies annually) and half of U.S. abortions (nearly 500,000 abortions annually). These statistics bring shame to an FDA whose leadership has forsaken science for politics. This country deserves better from its federal agencies.

We applaud Sens. Patty Murray's and Hillary Clinton's insistence that Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt help restore credibility to the FDA by moving forward with a yes-or-no decision on Plan B based in science and clinical evidence, not ideology.

Jane Hutchings, MPH
Associate director

Reproductive health

Christopher Elias, M.D., MPH
President

PATH

COUNTY COUNCIL

Voters knew there was reason to fire Edmonds

Is there nothing that soon-to-be former King County Councilwoman Carolyn Edmonds won't do to stay on the county payroll? Tuesday's P-I unambiguously reports that Edmonds didn't tell the truth in denying that she had talked with officials in the county executive's office about a high-paying county job once she left office. She "angrily and categorically denied" discussions that her erstwhile friends in Executive Ron Sims' office clearly and unequivocally said she had. It seems pretty obvious that somebody isn't being forthright, and having been a constituent of Edmonds' and seeing her in action, I have a good idea as to who has the greater credibility.

Is there any wonder that the voters turned Edmonds out of office?

Here's hoping the executive's office learns from this latest Edmonds escapade and thinks twice before extending to her an offer of further county employment, a career prospect the voters of her own district clearly sought to terminate.

Scott St. Clair
Kirkland

Add P-I Opinion headlines to