Boot’s warmongering will not lead to peace

Re “Syria should be Israel’s target,” Opinion, Aug. 23

It is surprising that The Times gives a column to Max Boot, who is seeking a victim to attack in the Middle East and settles on what he considers the weakest foe, Syria, and advocates war -- a war of choice. It is unlikely that Syria would initiate war on the U.S., and as recent events have shown in Lebanon, Syria desired to avoid war with Israel. But despite Syria’s lack of bellicosity, Boot declares that Israel must choose to make war on Syria, at a time of Israel’s choosing.

War is the ultimate evil. I ask: How can you let your columns be used for this kind of warmongering by chaise-lounge hardened warriors?

JOE CLEETUS

Fort Kochi, India

*

A preemptive strike on a country to avoid a later, imagined conflict has been proven to fail. The U.S. invasion of Iraq is a perfect example of how this neoconservative strategy has failed to protect Americans at home. It has only emboldened our enemies, who view any U.S. move toward diplomacy as a sign of weakness of will.

Hitting Syria would not occur in a vacuum. It would certainly drag Iran into the fray immediately, whether through direct involvement by its own military or by funneling money into the Syrian economy for its defense. And perhaps it’s possible that Iran would invade Iraq while our own military is entrenched trying to restore order in a civil war.

ERIC H. POTRUCH

Westchester

*

Boot wants to start another war, this time on Syria. Two wars (Iraq and Lebanon) are not enough for him.

Maybe Boot and neoconservatives in this administration should stop and think that maybe there are better ways to live with the Arabs than killing them, and maybe they should start listening to many Israelis who think that a better way to have peace with the Arabs is to end the occupation of Arab land and start treating the Arabs as equal human beings.

FAWWAZ ZEDAN

Crestline, Calif.