Won't heed advice

After all the leaks coming out of President Bush's office recently, it is no surprise that he has decided to commit more troops toward quelling the violence in Baghdad. Bush can't seem to get it right. When he first attacked Iraq in 2003, he fired the general who advised the need for 300,000 troops to control the country when the existing security structure collapsed. He also ignored the fact that his father had 500,000 troops during the Gulf War at his disposal and he did not even dismantle the military or the national police structure. Now, Bush has apparently decided to rotate the commanders who recommended against sending more troops into Baghdad. He has already forgotten the lesson taught by the surge of troops inserted last fall to quell sectarian violence and succeeded only in escalating hostilities and bringing more Americans home in body bags. Worst of all, Bush has failed to heed our request loudly voiced in the last election that we no longer support his ill-conceived adventure in Iraq. The cost of American and Iraqi lives he is willing to expend is no longer acceptable. The nearly $400 billion spent so far and still counting could be better spent on domestic programs. Somebody should tell Bush that his track record as a "decider" is none too good and it is time he starts to pay more attention to those around him who seem to have a better grasp of reality than he does. Nick Reina, Milmay - Courier Post, January 20, 2007