Rice’s message ironic, dangerous

Re “Rice, visiting Iraq, lashes out at Sadr,” April 21

Surely Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice must have seen the extraordinary irony in her statement about radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr hiding in Iran while sending his followers to die in Iraq. Funny, but the last time I checked, it was George W. Bush sending thousands of our sons and daughters to die in the same place while tucked up warm and cozy in the White House.

Bernie Taupin

Santa Ynez, Calif.

What are Rice’s motives for publicly insulting the personal courage of Sadr during her surprise visit to Iraq? Which of our U.S. national interests is supposed to be advanced by this highly insulting remark to a cleric who has such great influence over the level of violence in Iraq? Is this mere stupidity, like Bush’s “Bring ‘em on!” challenge for more killing and violence, or is there some dark, rational plan behind such a stirring of the pot?

Timothy Tunks

Santa Monica