BUSH'S SPEECH DIDN'T GO OVER WELL IN TUCSON

U.S. fails to learn lesson of Vietnam
I am still worked up after President Bush's speech on the reasons to "stay the course" in Iraq. He has decided, and many Americans agree, no matter what the ultimate cost, we should stay in Iraq until the job is done.
He is willing to see Iraq battered to a pulp to achieve our objective of freedom for those poor people.
Even if it takes 10 years and a legion of dead, it is important to Bush and our current leaders that we show the world that America will not be defeated.
And here I thought Vietnam had taught us a cruel lesson about self-carnage. We have a whole wall in Washington that is a silent reminder to the folly of the powerful.
Bush should have visited the monument three years ago. He might not have had to make that speech.

Ron Lancaster
Tucson

Nothing new in speech
President Bush recalled the Sept. 11 attacks five times in his speech, suggesting a link with the Iraq war and again used his infamous scare tactics.
Who are the 30 coalition forces he talked about? Yes, there are British troops there, but it seems they are not really in the thick of things in Iraq; we hear only about U.S. troops being killed on a daily basis.
Bush appealed for more people to join the armed services, expressing there is no "higher calling." At one time, this was true, but the "calling" of Bush's terribly managed war, seems to bring with it a great possibility of death.
Bush gave us nothing new in this speech, just more of his "stay the course" and "no more troops needed in Iraq." This president has lost touch with reality, and that is scary as hell.

Peggy Simon
Retired teacher, Tucson

Descriptions of war like a broken record
George W. Bush, once again, attempted to rally American opinion in support of his war by delivering a canned speech to a respectful audience of military personnel.
Once again, he attempted to convince his audience the increasingly bloody escapade in Iraq is tied to Sept. 11 without acknowledging that Islamic insurgents were not present in that country before the U.S. invasion.
Once again, he described certain policies as "new" and "prevailing," when recent reports from military personnel suggest they are neither.
Once again, Bush attempted an underhanded recruitment of more brave and courageous men and women to join the military without acknowledging he was neither brave nor courageous enough to join the fight in his own questionable stint in the military.
When will we demand real leadership from our president, and when will we insist on real accountability when he fails to provide it?

Tom Spangler
Tucson

As Bush spins, situation gets worse
I was disgusted as usual by President Bush's speech. Iraq is no closer to stability than it was a year ago. Things keep getting worse every week.
The U.S. occupation of Iraq, in addition to fueling the local insurgency, is enhancing the hatred of Americans throughout the world.
We got into this war based on lies and an erroneous view of America's leadership position in world affairs. It's time to get out and restore our dignity. The first step is to realize the Bush policy is out of touch with reality. We need a real exit plan with a real timeline providing real accountability for our leaders.
We need to turn control of the training of Iraqi forces and the rebuilding of Iraq to the international community. And we must renounce permanent military bases in Iraq, because that angers the Iraqi people and freedom-loving people everywhere.

Colin Dalton
Tucson