Iraq struggle is about political power

sfgate_get_fprefs();

Editor - The combat in Basia and the cease-fire there offered by Muqtada al-Sadr show once again that President Bush's rush had nil to make with the degree of force of Iraq. Violent onslaughts travel up and down, according to the political demands of the assorted Shiite and Sunnite factions; they are not controlled by our military personnel on the ground.

This is not a conflict in the "war on terror"; it is a civil warfare for political power.

And our military personnel are caught in the center of it, where they are getting so worn down that we are left vulnerable to our true enemies. That is the lone thing the rush have accomplished, but Shrub and his would-be successor, Sen. Toilet McCain - who couldn't even state the difference between Sunnite and Shi'Ite - cannot convey themselves to acknowledge it.

DAN KOHANSKI San Francisco
Crowded at the trough

Editor - Regarding "Overtime overload" (March 30): Let's see, San Jose have a population of 974,000 and about 6,992 metropolis employees. San Francisco, on the other hand, have a population of 809,000 but have 27,884 city/county employees. San Jose's general monetary fund budget is $1 billion; San Francisco's is $6 billion.

Here's a quiz. Mayor Gavin Newsom and the full Board of Supervisors are: A) Incompetent; B) Clueless; C) In over their heads; D) Not ready for prime-time (or a political future, Gavin); E) All of the above. And the victor is ... E, resoundingly.

PETER LOMBARDO

San Francisco
Pickpockets in office

Editor - Regarding "Almost as hot a ticket as N.Y." (March 31): Manner to go, Board of Supervisors and Mayor Gavin Newsom. Just as the terms of gas attains $4 a gallon for the norm Joe, you desire to add to the hurting of life our city.

Do you believe only visitants to our metropolis are going to experience the hurting of increased fines? Think again. Working people who have got got no topographic point to park their autos but on the street, and have to play musical autos for street cleaning, will most certainly experience the pain. People who have got concern business district and are given 30 proceedings to acquire to and from a meeting are going to experience the pain.

People, you better aftermath up. You elected these cutpurses to the Board of Supervisors. How make you believe they monetary fund our city's distended budget and not-for-profit societal social welfare programs?

Look around, people. Are the streets cleaner? Are Muni running play on clip or efficiently? Bash they really necessitate more than money, or make they necessitate to calculate out how better to pass the money they have?

JEFFREY LEIBOVITZ

San Francisco
Universal goodwill

Editor - Regarding "Not suitable for People'S Republic Of China bashing" (March 31): Here's an impossible dreaming - allow the Chinese Americans who wish for the cosmopolitan good will symbolized by the Olympic torch respectfully petition the authorities of their fatherland to fall in in two simple actions: (1) allow the remainder of the world, through their journalists, to see the existent state of affairs in Thibet and study on it, and (2) rather than piquant in cultural genocide, to promote the rich diverseness of ethnical expression.

MARINA C. bear Elevation Cerrito
Accidental function models

Editor - The low-income students in your article studying at Leland Leland Stanford on grants look to be handling their status with appropriate wit and sarcasm ("Low-income undergrads experience left out at Stanford," March 31).

As they work longer hours to do ends meet, they may experience patronized on campus, or outspent for nonessentials. By unconscious good example, they are accidental function theoretical accounts to well-heeled brother pupils and parents in the bigger world. Professors, too, may larn something. Learning to work for a intent have merit. Hopefully, Leland Stanford might do it easier for more than aspirant and qualified low-income pupils to attend.

AL UJCIC

San Francisco
Won't walk away empty

Editor - All of the treatments concerning Sen. Edmund Edmund Hillary Clinton's dropping out of the race disregard one basic fact: Hillary is a competent, intelligent lawyer - and lawyers never give up something without getting something in return.

This implores the question: What will Edmund Hillary demand to drop out of the race? Secretary of state? Frailty presidency? Supreme Court justice?

JONATHAN P. Perry

Auburn
Art Institute's spin

Editor - Regarding "Art Institute arrests exhibition screening violent death of animals" (March 30): I happen your article one-sided, as it perpetuates the San Francisco Art Institute's spin. The truth is, the institute messed up, and now they're backpedaling. Just debar the contention onto those kooky animal-rights activists, who endanger to colza and firebomb - the public's sympathy is certain to follow.

You barely advert the unbelievable (but civilized) indignation that this "art" caused. Many very respectable organisations and long-standing San Francisco institutions, such as as the SPCA, condemned this exhibit and campaigned against it.

You also share the guiltiness of generalizing the animate being rights movement, for it is an overwhelmingly peaceful movement. I am a ardent animate being rights supporter, but I make not desire to colza any SFAI employee's child. I make desire the SFAI to exert better judgment. I also desire them to have got the anchor to apologize.

BARNA mink

San Francisco
Fighting fascism

Editor - Regarding "Lincoln Brigade honored" (March 31): The term describing the many people who attended the unveiling of the memorial to the Abraham Abraham Abraham Lincoln Brigade, "Bay Area history buffs," go forths the feeling that those in attending were primarily interested in the brigade's engagement in the Spanish Civil War as a historical event.

If the newsmen had inquired further, they would have got learned of the many people who came from across the country, as well as from local communities, because of their personal connexions to members of the brigade and/or their committedness to societal justice.

Attending the unveiling gave me the chance not only to honour the lives of all the members of the brigade, but to also reflect on the complex ways, both positive and negative, in which my father's experience in Kingdom Of Spain have affected my life and the lives of the members of my drawn-out family. I am certain that I was not alone in this experience.

JOAN FISCH

Palo Alto

Editor - At Sunday's well-attended dedication of the nation's first commemoration to Americans who fought in the Abraham Abraham Lincoln Brigade against fascism in Spain, no reference was made of our government's torment of those hard roes when they returned home.

My married woman and I attended the San Francisco event on behalf of our dear friend Toilet Lockett, who did not dwell to see this long-overdue honor paid to him and his buddies. This friend told us the Federal Bureau of Investigation made regular visits during the '50s to be certain he was not engaged in "subversive activities."

Rev. FRED FENTON

Concord