The axis of confusion

The axis of confusion

EDITOR:

I was reading an article about how the United States was rebuilding Iraq and I just couldn’t help but think how horribly confused this country is.

First we invade Iraq because we are told that they have weapons of mass destruction that could lead to an attack on the U.S. Later it is proven that they never had any such weapons and that the U.N. observers in Iraq had told the U.S. that all along. Then our leaders say they will greet us with open arms when we invade Iraq. Later it is proven they hate us. They kill us at every turn in the road.

Then we are told by our leaders that the United States must spend billions of dollars and hundreds of U.S. soldiers’ lives on a “surge” to allow the Iraqi government to stabilize and become the allies we had always wanted. Now the surge is over and the Iraqi government has ordered every single U.S. soldier out by 2010. They have begun constant consultations with Iran’s leaders. Iraq turned the development of their oil fields over to a Chinese oil company. In other words, the surge not only failed, it backfired.

If that isn’t enough confusion, after we learn we are going to be forced to leave Iraq in the hands of Iranian Shiite leaders, we continue to spend billions of dollars building up Iraq. Building up a country that will soon be an enemy of the United States. And all this spending over the years has resulted in so much debt that the U.S. loan market has completely dried up. The result of all this is that the United States will be in a depression. Iraq will be an ally of Iran and China. And U.S. citizens will continue to ask “what just happened.”

DON ROWINSKY

Youngstown

It’s just too much money

EDITOR:

After reading an article from the Vindicator and the Wall Street Journal I felt that a letter was needed. Gordon Gee, president of the Ohio State University has a total compensation of $1,346,225 for the 2007-2008 year.

This is a huge difference from the salary of former president Karen Holbrook when she retired. It is unbelievable and inappropriate. He should be ashamed to accept this amount of money.

Many parents, including myself are working overtime or two jobs to pay for college, and thousands of students are struggling with educational loans to keep up with the rising cost of tuition. If the state of Ohio has one of the highest job losses during the Bush administration, then I find it fiscally irresponsible for the OSU board chairman Gilbert Cloyd, to approve this plan.

If tuition at the Ohio State University is not reduced this year, then Mr. Gee surely does not deserve a performance bonus.

GARY SCURTI

Youngstown

What about everyone else?

EDITOR:

I have been wondering why Youngstown thinks that everyone in the county has to pay for their services and improvements.

I live in Sebring and feel that the county could care less about this part of the county. The recent sales tax for bus service really upsets me because we get no service but have to pay for it. The same as the park tax. The people who live outside of Youngstown really do have to sacrifice just so the city can have their way.

Why do the politicians never listen to those communities outside of Youngstown?

GARY L. SWITZER

Sebring