Letters to the editor for Friday, Dec. 7

As a Republican, I find it difficult to defend President Bush's foreign policy. But it is tiresome to hear the constant blame game toward one person.

Our country has been involved in an overwhelming military conflict in Iraq -- involving invasion, aerial bombings, embargoes, no-fly zones, inspections and great loss of life -- spanning almost 18 years. During this time, we have had 10 years of Republican presidents and eight years of a Democrat; 11 years of Republican control in Congress and seven years of Democratic control.

Maybe we should stop blaming any one person and hold the whole of our politicians responsible for a failed foreign policy.

MICHAEL STILLEY, LINO LAKES

Regarding the dubious National Intelligence Estimate on Iran's present nuclear weapons program: I'm concerned by some folks' reaction that it is a vindication that all talk about Iran's nuclear program was just a ploy by the administration to go to war.

I suggest that, because of the Iraq invasion in 2003, Iran thought more prudently of continuing a weapons program, temporarily. Yet it continues uranium enrichment, all while refusing to disclose enough to satisfy the International Atomic Energy Agency.

This has become one of the great challenges of our time -- do we preempt a rogue, radical country from having an atomic bomb, in order to prevent a future catastrophe? I think there is only one choice.

Only with strong sanctions and all options on the table will Iran be pressured to not develop nuclear weapons. This report has given breathing room and emboldened a radical Iran to continue its deception.

JON COHN, ROSEMOUNT

Incurious George The National Intelligence Estimate tells the world that Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program back in 2003. Our president comes on and casually tells us that he was told by the CIA in August that we had new information regarding Iran, but he didn't ask what it was. That is like your loved one telling you that he or she got bad news at the doctor's office and you don't ask what.

Everyone should be outraged that the president and his neo-con puppeteers ratcheted up the saber-rattling toward Iran after they knew of this information back in August. This is reminiscent of the way the Bush administration neglected to listen to the intelligence that indicated Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and no ties to 9/11 during the build-up to war.

DEAN UGLEM, HAM LAKE

Maybe there is a realization that if a similar assessment and public announcement occurred during the run-up to the Iraq war, that war would never has occurred.

PAUL PLUMMER, COON RAPIDS

Nick Coleman points out that a conservative Republican governor has appointed a conservative Republican judge to the bench ("Pawlenty's legacy may be tipping state's high court in so many ways," Dec. 5). That's the kind of cutting-edge commentary that we've come to expect from his column. He doesn't have to tell us the incredibly obvious, the merely obvious will do.

GARY DUCKERT, COON RAPIDS

It's rich that Sonia Morphew Pitt, the fired Minnesota Department of Transportation emergency management director, wants her job back. She spends $26,000 that isn't hers on airline upgrades and cell phone use. She claims she was doing a great job after the bridge fell because she was managing by phone. Her excuse is: No one managed me so I didn't know.

DARLENE TESTER, ELKO

And this year's "chutzpah hypocrisy" award goes to the GOP state senators, led by Chris Gerlach, who called for Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to suspend his election duties for the upcoming special election in District 25.

Where have their "moral voices" been as the MnDOT scandal unfolds, as an unqualified absentee emergency preparedness official was AWOL while apparently siphoning state money for her own use, to say nothing of Commissioner/Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau's ineptitude in running the department.

Ritchie sent out a few campaign letters, but their senatorial silence in the face of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse -- the loss of life, horrendous injuries and gross negligence -- marks them as political hacks and nothing more.

ALAN MILLER, EAGAN