Powell Speaks at the U.N. on Iraq Weapons Evidence

Re “Iraq Defies U.N., Powell Says,” Feb. 6: As one of those who has taken a wait-and-see attitude on the subject of war with Iraq until other measures have been exhausted, it is now clear to me, based upon Secretary of State Colin Powell’s presentation to the United Nations, that Iraq is in material breach of U.N. resolutions.

Saddam Hussein used the reluctance of people like me to bolster his claims that invasion is unwarranted; he seriously misread the basis of that reluctance.

Saddam, your 15 minutes are up.

Michael Sadler

Hollywood

*

Powell’s statement to the U.N. Security Council showed no concrete evidence of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. All he showed were pieces of circumstantial evidence and repetitions of what the Bush administration has been drumbeating for several months.

The world’s public opinion, including America’s majority opinion, is against this immoral, illegal and illogical war, which only President Bush and his hawkish Cabinet members and advisors want. Today’s world demands a civilized way of resolving conflicts, not the way of brutes.

Chaitanya Dave

Rancho Palos Verdes

*

I can’t believe the French and Germans still want to wait before disarming Iraq even after Powell made a convincing presentation to the U.N. While we wait, Hussein continues to develop weaponry that will cost more American lives than if we went in right now. Here’s an idea. Let’s take all the time in the world until the “smoking gun” is found, just as they want, but then require the French and Germans to send their young men and women in first to face whatever nerve agents, biological toxins or nuclear devices Iraq has had time to prepare.

Miguel Rosales

Cerritos

*

It’s hard to know which is more despicable: Bush’s State of the Union lies, the standing ovations by Congress or the pitiful spectacle of Powell doing the bidding of the know-nothing warmongers.

In the final analysis, it will be the women and children of Iraq who will be the victims. I suspect that the U.S. will never recover its credibility or global leadership. Could the media have stopped this senseless rush to war?

Tanja Winter

La Jolla

*

Powell for president!

Don Danielson

Huntington Beach

*

If, indeed, there is “irrefutable, undeniable” evidence that Iraq has and is hiding weapons of mass destruction, then a declaration of war makes it a virtual certainty that these weapons will be used. Keeping the inspections going on, even if these inspections have turned into a game of hide-and-seek, seems to be the best way to forestall the use of any weapons and may even result in the U.N. finding the weapons and disarming Iraq.

Let us not forget that the World Trade Center was brought down and the Pentagon breached not by weapons of mass destruction but by well-organized and highly motivated individuals wielding ordinary box cutters.

Cynthia Meyer

Larchmont Village

*

We may be going to war because rogue nations have weapons of mass destruction, yet at this point the only country in the world considering the use of such weapons is the U.S., which has suggested the use of atomic bombs on deep bunkers. Are we so dazzled with our power or so stupefied by our president that no one even reacts to this? Or maybe our politicians are waiting for the poll results before they decide what position to take.

Nancy Gardner

Corona del Mar