Let’s move past warmongering

Re “Go with the tough guy,” Opinion, Feb. 12

Max Boot suggests that Sen. John McCain may be the best man for the presidency because his bellicosity would “scare the snot out of our enemies.” Yeah, Max, that really worked for George W. Bush, one of the most bellicose, warmongering figures in American history. The people who really ought to be scared of McCain are the American people because McCain, like Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, believes in war as the primary means of resolving differences. It’s time for our country to get off that track.

Neil Reichline

Tarzana

Iran, Syria and North Korea are not scared because it is obvious to them that we are mired in Iraq and Afghanistan, that we do not have the troops to succeed there and that invading another nation is beyond our capacity. To the contrary, our “tough” policy emboldened and strengthened them. To be feared again, we need to close the book on Iraq, re-create a credible invasion threat and restore historic alliances for potential military action.

Achilles was a tough guy who failed at Troy before Odysseus, the smart guy, succeeded with the wooden horse. Bush, McCain and Boot are tough guys who have failed on Iraq. It’s time for us to find our Odysseus.

Roger D. Chittum

Los Angeles

I believe we have a modern-day Nero in Boot. While America burns under the Bush administration, Boot plays on and is an actual advisor to McCain, exhorting us to more of the same.

Bill Yoak

Garden Grove