U.S. war in Iraq was doomed from the start

Re “America, right and wrong,� Opinion, March 27

Niall Ferguson completely mischaracterizes the situation regarding antebellum Iraq. I and the million others I was marching with in January 2003 were mostly pretty clear on the concept that the United States, with all that explosive power at its command, still lacked the power to force millions of people to act the way “we� wanted them to.

This was such a mystery to these well-informed neocons? The first President Bush declined to leap into the bottomless pit. But his son, who has a “higher father,� couldn’t be bothered to look at the most common of historical events: invasions that fail. Bush has accomplished one thing -- he has vindicated his father’s actions.

FRANK ROBINSON

Bangkok, Thailand

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I am in awe of Ferguson’s biography, education and books. Yet his column misses the simple truth most veterans know -- war solves nothing. Is Ferguson a veteran? If not, this missing piece of his resume denies him access to historical lessons of great importance -- such as that there are better ways than war to solve problems.

BILL SMART

Santa Barbara