_______________THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE RELIEVED BY JEFF STEIN (12/17/98)

The accusations and innuendo from Republican leadership that the timing of the decision to strike Iraq is based on the impeachment vote is totally deplorable. To accuse William Cohen, Madeline Albright, Robert Butler, all military intelligence advisers and the U.N. Security Council members supporting President Clinton in his decision of lying and conspiracy to evade the impeachment vote is to undermine the credibility of the United States in foreign affairs entirely. I don't support these airstrikes for completely different reasons, but I fully respect and accept the credibility of the timing of the decision and understand the complex reasoning. It just goes to show that Republicans' only interest and desire is to topple the presidency as soon as possible, at any and all expense to the American people, our military or our status in the world. -- Eva Adams Berlin I am ashamed and appalled by your one-sided pro-war coverage of the situation in Iraq. While your esteemed media professionals debate the pros and cons of Clinton's strategies and efforts to deflect attention from his current political problems, innocent civilians are being murdered. Congratulations, you have demonstrated how quickly the "left" will jump on the bandwagon when there's some third-world butt to be kicked (i.e. slaughtered). -- Robert Lemieux I beg to differ with Jeff Stein's offhand comment regarding the rationale for Bill Clinton's impeachment: "Losing the military's respect is a much better reason to string up the commander in chief than lying about a blow job." One of the greatest pillars of our political life is the complete submission of the military to civilian rule. If military personnel find their commander unworthy of respect they are duty-bound to either put up with the irritation or resign. Period. If the people and their representatives decide that a blow job is beyond the pale, that is their decision. Politically speaking, I can think of few worse situations than to reverse our whole political tradition and give the military a "respect veto" over the president. To do so is to undermine civilian rule itself. -- Nick Lantinga Shame on you for supporting the war criminal Clinton. Starting a war without a Congressional declaration is itself an impeachable offense. Or we could extradite him to the Hague for crimes against humanity. (The U.S.-big oil sanctions have killed 1.5 million Iraqi civilians since Bush's invasion.) Salon, return to your '60s roots: One, two, three, four, we don't want your fucking war. Five, six, seven, eight, organize and smash the state. -- Lew Rockwell Auburn, Ala. The rabid Republicans attacking President Clinton for carrying out the recommendations of his military advisers to bomb Iraq come perilously close to aiding and comforting Saddam Hussein. Even more shocking than the disgraceful comments of the worst Clinton-haters in the House of Representatives -- Reps. Dick Armey, Bob Barr, Dana Rohrabacher, Gerald Solomon, et al -- was the statement of Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott that "cannot support this military action." By throwing in his lot with these scoundrels, Lott has shown beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is hopelessly biased against the president of the United States. By using this crisis for partisan gain, he has also shown that he is unfit to hold a position of leadership in our government. -- Michael Calmes N E X T+P A G E+| Congress' global sideshow