Bell’s war words ring true for some

Thanks to Joseph Bell for his sensible and patriotic commentary (The

Bell Curve, “Keep us blessed with the right to dissent,” Thursday).

It would be ironic indeed if in the course of promoting democracy in

Iraq, we allowed our own freedom to be diminished.

It is an ominous sign that Sen. Tom Daschle’s criticism of the

Bush diplomacy was characterized by the Speaker of the House as

tantamount to giving aid and comfort to the enemy. For our country’s

well-being, we need, even in wartime, thoughtful criticism and

dissent like that of Sen. Tom Daschle, Col. David Hackworth and

Joseph Bell.

PAUL AND SHERRY EKLOF

Costa Mesa

Normally, I can tolerate Joseph Bell’s slanted personal views as

“local color”; the best efforts of a more-or-less harmless colloquial

journalist-wannabe.

But this morning’s thinly disguised attempt to propagandize his

left-leaning political views goes beyond mere ignorance and poor

taste. Even political adversaries to the president such as Sen.

Joseph Lieberman had the decency, intelligence, and patriotism to

show solidarity, not divisiveness, to our detractors and our enemies

once our national military decision had been made.

For every out-of-touch retired military person Bell can cite who

does not support our attempt to neutralize the Iraqi threat to

America and the world and to free an enslaved populace from a

murderous dictator, he could, if he wished, cite the views of dozens

of informed, active military leaders and rank-and-file soldiers of

every service who support the decision of our national leadership.

But tellingly, he chose not to.

None of us wants war. But do we support genocide? Do we sit with

our hands tied while an avowed enemy amasses weapons of mass

destruction, standing idly by while he continues to torture and

butcher the Iraqi citizenry into complete submission to utter

tyranny? Is that what America has ever been about? Do we return to a

naive policy of turning a blind eye to the buildup of terrorism,

inviting a national disaster that makes the events of Sept. 11 pale

by comparison in destructiveness?

The views of such people as Bell are nothing new. Wishful

thinking, acquiescence, and appeasement have empowered every tyrant

in recent history: Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, and Idi Amin, to name but

a few.

The decision to procrastinate, to ignore clear evidence of threat,

noncompliance and evil in the hope that “something” will allow us to

avoid tough decisions involving great sacrifice, or to appease other

nations that do not have America’s best interests at heart is also a

decision. Fortunately for Bell and other “peace at any price”

advocates, they will never have to bear the scrutiny of having their

decisions second-guessed so long as men and women of courage continue

to lead this country. It would be unfortunate in the extreme for the

rest of us were it otherwise.

Thank God, some among us have eyes to see and the courage to act,

regardless of whether France, Russia, China, Saddam Hussein or Bell

concur.

CECIL M. PROULX

Costa Mesa

I completely agree with Joseph N. Bell’s take on the Iraq

situation.

I am 60, a veteran, six children, eight grandchildren. Cowboy

junior Bush must have been taken in with reality TV and all the

“Survivor” joke shows, and with sweeps just around the corner, he

must have needed ratings.

The president is a joke for the world to laugh at, and when they

laugh at the president of the U.S., they laugh at our make-believe

country of free speech. With Orange County, a prosperous and rich

community, with a strong starboard list, it took courage and strong

conviction to write that column. Now we have John Ashcroft, Tom

Ridge, Donald Rumsfield and Dick Cheney slowly and methodically

taking away basic freedoms.

Bell quotes some very credible military specialists. Good thing

for all the major media we have an abundance of “military experts,”

taking us blow by blow, as we destroy, kill and damage our “ugly

American” persona.

Why just blame France when, of the 189 nations in the United

Nations, we only have 40 nations, being paid billions under the

table, to side with his Bush’s mentality.

Enjoy Bell’s writing. Keep up the good work. I care for our troops

and those being forced to participate in this strange, and very

difficult to stomach, pursuit.

TERRY TURRELL

Huntington Beach

I think letter writer Claudia Downs outwitted herself in her

critique of Joseph Bell’s comments about “The West Wing.” She ends up

admitting that the series portrays the idealistic (Mailbag, “Bell

Curve just like ‘The West Wing’ -- fiction,” Thursday). I think that,

too. I just wish we had a more ideal government in real life, instead

of just in fiction.

ELEANOR KLEIN

Costa Mesa