"Presidents are fully capable of initiating unjust wars."

Anyone for war?

One person wishing to continue hostilities may be overpowered

Editor, The Times:

Founding Father and President James Madison had it right when he said, "Those who are to conduct a war cannot, in the nature of things, be proper or safe judges, whether a war ought to be commenced, continued, or concluded."

This is particularly relevant for President Bush, since he plunged the country into an illegal and immoral war in Iraq, where our troops are dying needlessly in a conflict that is further destabilizing the world and making us less secure.

For him to admit this wrongdoing and reverse course would be psychologically impossible. It would result in a mental hell, which he could not face and remain sane ["Dems cite lack of Iraqi progress, ask troop withdrawal; Bush vows it won't happen," Times, News, July 10].

Presidents are fully capable of initiating unjust wars. This was true in the Spanish-American War and in Vietnam. This is why the Constitution gives to Congress the power to declare war and to terminate it through the power of the purse.

Congress must now exercise this power, cut off funding, and bring the troops home.

— James Maynard, Sammamish

No right answers

So the president has stepped up his warnings that a sudden withdrawal from Iraq would allow al-Qaida or Iran to take over Iraq. This among other dire warnings.

He has been shown to be wrong on almost every other thing that has happened regarding Iraq ["Report: Al-Qaida's power is back," page one, July 12].

Why should we suddenly believe him now?

— James Sharkey, Burien

Slipping with the enemy

So timetables for troop pullouts are bad because they inform our enemy ["Bush accuses Dems of meddling in war policy," News, March 28]; but we need to give President Bush two more months to face the "ugly" reality that his surge isn't working, and that is somehow not a timetable? ["Bush: Iraq war is 'ugly,' but give it 2 months," page one, July 13.]

— Amy Kramer Hawks, Seattle

Nobles' worth

Let the voters assess

My name is Jim Nobles and I'm running for county assessor as a true taxpayer advocate. In "Not so noble" [editorial, July 12], The Times called this race a big knee-slapper, but I don't find anything funny about the treatment of taxpayers in King County, the Department of Assessments' entrenched bureaucracy, or the office's chronically low morale.

When running for the Seattle Monorail Board, I promised to fight for the taxpayer, and I delivered on that pledge when I shut down the disastrous tax-thirsty project that would have buried Seattle residents for years under an unbearable burden.

I believe the county assessor should be, chiefly, an advocate for accountability, transparency and fairness in the assessment of property values, both commercial and residential.

I think any time an individual becomes so entrenched in a partisan office, there is a danger of these values fading from view.

The notion that this race is about confusing "dumb" voters is offensive to me and the voters of King County. I trust that we will all do our due diligence on Election Day this November and elect trustworthy people to serve our communities, cities and this great county.

I will create an Assessor's Office that understands the fiscal demands of King County and treats all taxpayers fairly, placing their interests above partisan politics.

Next time, I hope The Seattle Times will do its homework and give me a call before it attempts to disparage my campaign or the voters of King County.

— Jim Nobles, Seattle

Off switch

Hounds for firecrackers

Letter writers Andy Helman and Rosemary Veilleux complain about the effects of the Fourth of July noise ["Fireworks, the afterglow," Northwest Voices, July 10].

Helman asks, "Who are these people and how did they become so arrogant, so self-absorbed, so uncaring and selfish?" Veilleux complains, "But why do people need to have all the noise and smoke in the neighborhoods? Do these people have animals?"

Do some folks get a little carried away with fireworks? Probably. Do some animals get scared by them? Yes. However, all of this fussing is for merely one day, perhaps two days, during the year. During the other 363 days of the year? Nothing.

I would gladly surrender one or two days per year if I could get some relief for all the other noise I have to endure from my neighbors, particularly the barking dogs. What makes dog owners so ignorant and uncaring of the noise of their animals? I've been awoken at all hours of the night from my neighbors' dogs consistently over many months. Talking with them has been useless.

And what about other people's loud music and parties? Why are people so uncaring and selfish about that?

Undoubtedly the answers are the same for both situations. But whining about one or two days in the year makes me laugh. I'll trade places with you any time.

— Craig Anderson, Issaquah

Gloomy forecast

Follow the rainmakers

The Times reported that Dino Rossi is currently using the themes of his 2004 gubernatorial campaign to raise money for his 2008 effort. "Dino Rossi is traveling the state ... giving several speeches a week about how the 'folks in Olympia' are mucking up Washington's business climate and driving the state toward fiscal calamity" ["Rossi group replaying themes of 2004 race," Local News, July 12].

Apparently, times have changed. A recent Special Report in Forbes has a vastly different opinion about Washington state's business climate. Forbes states that Washington is "The biggest mover ... rising from 12th to fifth place" in its list of "Top States for Business."

Forbes quotes Gov. Chris Gregoire, "Washington has had more businesses open per capita the past three years than any other state in the U.S.": "We've closed a budget deficit of $2 billion from the year before I took office and turned it into a $1.2 billion dollar surplus." "We now have the lowest unemployment rate in state history."

Washingtonians who stop at Starbucks on their way to building the new Boeing 787 and then returning home to order the new "Harry Potter" book from Amazon.com, using Microsoft's Vista operating system will probably be unimpressed with Rossi's prediction of "fiscal calamity."

— Bill Taylor, Renton