2 Short but Great NYT LTTEs about Medals of Freedom yesterday

[checks-n-balances]

December 16, 2004
Medals at Odds With Reality of War (2 Letters)

To the Editor:

Re "War Figures Honored With Medal of Freedom" (news article, Dec. 15): How can one justify awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to those whom President Bush called "three men who have played pivotal roles in great events"?

George J. Tenet, the former director of central intelligence, came to the "pivotal" conclusion that Iraq's weapons-of-mass-destruction program was a "slam dunk" case.

Gen. Tommy R. Franks acquiesced in the Pentagon's "pivotal" estimates on required troop strength, which was sufficient to topple Saddam Hussein's regime but has proved inadequate to secure the peace.

And L. Paul Bremer III, the chief civilian administrator of the American occupation, made the "pivotal" decision to transfer sovereignty on a rushed timetable, leaving Iraq in a deteriorating security situation.

The irony is that President Bush decided to award these medals of freedom even before Iraq takes its first real step to freedom: holding free and fair elections.

It has consistently been this administration's policy to declare victory and move on, even if the facts are at odds.

XXXX XXXXXXXXXX
Germantown, Md., Dec. 15, 2004

•

To the Editor:

To give the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the architects of a bogus war is an act of Orwellian gall.

We were never threatened by or attacked by Iraq. To refuse to admit this is either unabashed arrogance or unspeakable manipulation and deception. These medals are as credible as ones given to athletes who take illegal steroids, except that the consequences are far more serious.

XXX XXXXXX
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Dec. 15, 2004