_______________THE IMPEACHMENT WAR: WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON? (12/18/98)

I am truly astonished at the large number of pundits who commented in Salon that they absolutely believed President Clinton's recent attack on Iraq was to divert attention from the impeachment debate. While they may state that this is obvious or that no one in their right mind could conclude otherwise, the facts do not support these comments. I refer you to Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., who made himself available to any network that would listen on the night the attacks began. Apparently your pundits were not listening. Lieberman, who is no great friend of Clinton's, stated that four weeks ago, after the aborted Iraq attack, the administration met with Congress and received great criticism for aborting the attack. The administration stated clearly at the time that if Richard Butler, head of the U.N. inspection team, reported to the United Nations that Saddam had indeed not allowed full and unfettered inspections, the administration would, in essence, reinstate the aborted attack without delay, without warning and without further discussion. The timing of Butler's (an Australian) report to the United Nations was not under the administration's control. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., later also verified this account. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., was at this meeting and had no illusions as to the "timing" of a subsequent attack as a result. I consider his criticisms if not virtually treasonous, certainly disingenuous. The notion that this attack was timed to interfere with impeachment is wrong for two other reasons. First, everyone knew it would have no effect on the outcome of impeachment and in fact it has had no effect. Some clever move! Second, Secretary of Defense William Cohen, Gen. Hugh Shelton and other members of the administration in no way would have sanctioned such an action by Clinton. The fact of the matter is that a president cannot commit U.S. forces without an administrative process involving numerous people. The reaction to the attack is less a matter of Clinton's trustworthiness and more a matter of the continued ignorance of so many people who are unwilling to investigate the facts instead of trusting the first thing they hear on TV or that pops into their mind. A little more intellectual rigor is called for here, particularly during this season of mob/faction rule. -- Jason M. Rugo St. Louis, Mo. Not only is it so cynical that it touches on evil to suggest that President Clinton ordered the bombing of Iraq to divert attention from the impeachment proceedings, it is also so stupid as to demonstrate an intellectual capacity of close to zero. Some people have obviously spent so much time watching movies that they have completely lost the ability to think rationally. Although the president has been accused of plenty of things -- and most have gone unproven -- there is absolutely nothing in Clinton's history to indicate that he is so callous as to cause death and destruction to save his political skin. In fact, for all his clumsy foibles, Clinton has demonstrated more human compassion than any president since Jimmy Carter. Even if one believes that Clinton is so small-minded that the political consequences did in fact enter into the decision-making process, one must also acknowledge that he is surely clever enough to understand that it was basically a wash: He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. The timing, in fact, was not particularly advantageous to Clinton either. It would have had to have been much earlier to help. It must have been completely obvious to him that the attack, on the eve of the vote, would drive the already infuriated Republican Party leaders right over the deep edge, bringing the moderate votes with them. If the timing took the Republicans off guard, it must have taken Saddam Hussein completely by surprise -- which is exactly what our military was looking for. If the hawkish Republicans had any balls at all, they would be commending Clinton for a brilliant military strategy! -- Marceline Therrien Oakland, Calif. N E X T+P A G E+| Pleased and displeased Peapod customers share their experiences with the online grocery service