Readers React: Who wrecked Iraq? We did.

Re “The Iraq takeaway,� Opinion, May 1

In his piece supporting the continued presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Max Boot says that “in hindsight … it is obvious that Iraq began to unravel the minute the last U.S. troops left.�

I would contend that Iraq began to unravel the minute that U.S. forces struck Baghdad on March 20, 2003, in a ruthless “shock and awe� bombing campaign that began the unwarranted, preemptive war in Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein.

Thanks to the misguided foreign policy agenda of President Bush, a broken Iraq continues to suffer the dire consequences of perhaps the biggest military blunder of all time.

Linda Pitkanen

Mission Viejo

Boot says in his piece that “Iraq is now in the midst of a cycle of sectarian violence.�

I wonder if it has ever crossed his mind that his and others’ advice to George W. Bush that Iraq was in need of a regime change might have something to do with that?

Pat Ormsbee

Newport Beach