I do not think that the titles of Jason Vest’s article (“Fables of the Reconstruction: A Coalition memo reveals that even true believers see the seeds of civil war in the occupation of Iraq” and “U.S. Errors Could Inflame Deeper Conflicts in Iraq, CPA Official Warns”) match the information in the memo. Apparently, it is not just the Pentagon and the White House that are making mistakes. The Democrats, British and the Coalition Provisional Authority are mentioned in this memo as well. It sounds like the “middlemen” are getting in the way of [Defense Secretary Donald] Rumsfeld and the others at the top by not being honest with them. Surprise, surprise.

There are many of us that work in the real world (both over and under the middlemen) that have had to put up with those who are degreed and undereducated but stay in the “company” (government) long enough to get middle to high-middle positions and who do not really understand what is happening, nor do they care. It appears to me from this memo and probably a series of others that are referenced that these are the type of people who are preventing the proper information from getting to the right people in the Pentagon and White House.

I have full confidence that President Bush would do all that he could to take those out if he is made aware of this issue. I also do believe that we will always have the State Department wanting to create “diplomatic” cures, which means mostly that no one will be held accountable for much of anything. Hopefully, this memo will be in the light, and things will change. Sometimes when we are so close to a situation, we see things with less clarity. I do hope that part of the frustration I see in this memo is partly from being too close.

Patti Mudd
Reno, Nev.