Bush has two choices on Iraq

Re “Trainers say Iraqi forces would collapse without U.S. support,” May 3

So it’ll be “five years, minimum,” “at least seven years” or “even better ... 50 years” before Iraqis are “ready to stand on their own,” according to U.S. trainers and Iraqi trainees.

Now President Bush has vetoed a funding bill because its time limits prevent him from continuing our country on this absurd course, which consists of building an Iraqi army that apparently isn’t getting paid regularly, and training it “quietly” in order to accommodate cultural differences that don’t permit yelling orders too loudly, with the added note that deploying Iraqi soldiers to Baghdad, or “other far-flung places,” may drive them to desert.

Any president who could continue to press our military to resolve this outrageous expedition is either incompetent or too much of a coward to face the truth. In either case, Congress should cancel all funding and give Bush this option: Bring the troops home or resign. Do not let this tragedy continue to January 2009.

PATRICIA CASEY

Fallbrook, Calif.