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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 14, 2008

Urban Legends And Lies

Regarding "Interrogator Tortured By Experiences In Iraq" (Dec. 6):

I have several problems with this article, especially the inflammatory quote by a writer who doesn't even have the courage to use his real name - he uses the pseudonym "Matthew Alexander - allegedly for the safety of his family.

To state that "The number of U.S. soldiers who have died because of our torture policy will never be definitively known, but it is fair to say that it is close to the number of lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001" is absurd. Where is the evidence to support such a ridiculous, inflammatory statement? There is none, and it's not "fair to say," or imply, there is.

This guy is just trying to sell books, hoping that many people will accept everything he says as fact.

Additionally, it was Jordanian intelligence forces that arrested and questioned the Iraqi customs agent, Ziad Khalaf Raja al-Karbouli, who is credited with giving up the whereabouts of Zarqawi's safe houses, leading to the final demise of one of Iraq's most feared terrorists.

You can bet your last dollar the Jordanians didn't sweet talk this guy into giving up the location of Zarqawi. And he didn't get the $25M reward, either.

My parents taught me 40 years ago to believe only half of what I see and none of what I read. This is good advice that is even more relevant today, when news media try to pass off book reviews as factual truth and the Internet abounds with urban legends and lies.

BRIAN BOYLE

Tampa

Befriending Killers

Regarding "Interrogator Tortured By Experiences In Iraq":

Alexander's fear of aggressive interrogation techniques undertaken with respect to people who murder American citizens is undercut by his narcissism. He brings to mind Scott Ritter, who was an arms inspector in Iraq until he decided the cocktail party circuit in Georgetown and Manhattan would be more welcoming to him if he praised Saddam Hussein instead of participating in an effort to reduce his ability to murder thousands more Kurds and others.

Alexander goes further than Ritter in his narcissism, however, as marked by his childish assumption of a nom de plume. Nobody would want to hurt him; he wants to be friends with murderers because he fantasizes that such friendship will stop them from murdering more people.

As for this country, we are the ultimate paper tiger - we reward, but don't punish, those who subvert our efforts to combat terror and murder. Ritter and Alexander share an apparently burning passion for the limelight as well as for being held up in elite circles as models to which the rest of the military, which according to Alexander consists of murderous and ignorant thugs, should aspire.

If he, in fact, conducts his interrogations as represented, it is discomfiting to learn that people undertaking important work are just channeling Deepak Chopra - if we just start being nice to murderers, they'll stop murdering us.

JEFF MEYER

Clearwater

'Dangerous' Statements

"The number of U.S. soldiers who have died because of our torture policy will never be definitively known, but is fair to say that it is close to the number of lives lost on Sept 11, 2001." This subtitle is a subjective and dangerous statement undermining our military and may add to the cost of lives.

We do not know how many lives have been saved by our interrogations. Since the verifiability of the facts represented and the name and background of the interrogator unknown, publishing this article during wartime is counterproductive and erodes the current administration's policy and the public's support for those serving in our armed services.

I thank the author for his service to our country and assume he is a dedicated patriot serving the country's best interest. However, his ideas and concerns should be promoted in the appropriate venue(s) instead of a public debate that will only undermine the country's position and increase the risk of all those serving.

Maybe some investigative reporting concerning the treatment of U.S. military in Al Qaida and other terrorist camps would be helpful? How would history be different if we opened a public relations forum deciding the best way to end WWII with Japan?

TED NOHREN

St. Petersburg

Helping Homeowners

We are in the throws of a very tiring problem. Real estate issues have finally trickled up to hit Main and Wall streets. I have a simple solution.

I have done some research and found there are about 75 million owner-occupied homes in the U.S. (2005 data from American Housing Survey, U.S. Census Bureau).

My suggestion is that the government fund every homeowner a loan of 20 percent of the assessed value of their home, at 2.5 percent interest payable in 20 years any way the homeowner may wish (monthly, quarterly, annually or at term's end) or upon resale of the residence.

And we can cap it at $1 million in assessed value, thus not giving the ultra-rich a great benefit. The money spent would be about $2.5 trillion. This will be far less than the final amount the government will spend under the current plan.

Some, like my wife and I, would refinance our house and reduce payments.

Some like my dad, who doesn't have a mortgage, could use the money to purchase a vacation beach condo.

The loan would not be mandated but elective. Each homeowner would be able to choose how he or she uses the money but always with the stipulation that it is a 20-year note.

This program would do many things, including putting a floor on the real estate market, stemming the tide of foreclosures due to refinancing into 30- to 50-year fixed mortgages, and funneling money directly to homeowners.

DAOUD J. GEORGIS

Tampa

Calling Dr. Spock!

What is wrong with mothers today that they have to rely on doctors instead of themselves?

I raised three children on Carnation evaporated milk mixed with Karo syrup and boiled water.

That was in the 1950s.

They are strong and healthy today.

We gave them water also. By the time they were 4 months old, they were on Gerber baby food.

Some people shouldn't have children if they can't think for themselves.

BETH HARMON

Holiday

Learn First Amendment

I would like to challenge the Tribune to educate the public about the First Amendment to the Constitution. Our Founding Fathers had left an oppressive regime with state-legislated religion - the church of England. They wanted the freedom to worship the Christian God.

The First Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The challenge is to explain how these simple words have become so subverted, and how the second part about free exercise of the people to worship is overlooked.

TED WHITAKER

Valrico

Defending Visitor Center

The religious right has been fuming about the new Capitol Visitor Center in Washington. Their latest criticism comes from The Heritage Foundation's Matthew Spaulding (Other Views, Dec. 4). He's concerned about the center's "distortions of our history," citing the exhibit on "E Pluribus Unum - Out of Many, One" as an example.

He laments that this is not our country's motto, but it was widely considered so for over 150 years and still appears on our coins and currency. Apparently, he expected to see an exhibit of our actual motto, "In God We Trust," along with other religious references.

He further objects to the center's portrayal of a "living constitution" rather than a "fixed meaning" document, as if words and opinions don't change over time. Perhaps he would also like to do away with the 27 constitutional amendments and go back to the days of slavery, Prohibition and men-only suffrage.

STEVE FELDMAN

Valrico

Bailout Accountability

I, as a taxpayer, and one who has contributed to the bailout fund via income tax, would like to see exactly what is being gained by those companies who received our tax dollars. Specifically, I would expect that the receiver of the bailout funds report back to the public on how the funds were used, who gained and what were the results.

I would also like to see prior to the issuance of any bailout funds a detailed plan on how the funds would be utilized and who would benefit. Also, there should be a corporate internal cost-reduction plan outlining items such as the sale of the corporate jet(s), elimination of country club memberships, and freezing any type of increased compensation such as pay increases, bonuses or stock options at all levels of leadership. This freeze would remain in place until the bailout funds were returned to the government.

It just seems like the bailout money is being issued and it is still "business as usual".

RUSSELL J. LITTLE

Lithia

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