Democracy on life-support.

• Position: Letter to the editor

Reading Matthew Rothschild's excellent commentary "Iran in the Cross Hairs" (Comment, April issue), I thought that there was something missing. He rightly zeroes in on the BS in the media and among many high-level political candidates, and says it like it is. But I do not believe that this is about the possibility of nuclear arms in Iran. It is about the empire's determination to control the oil in Iran and keep that oil out of the hands of commercial rivals. The nukes are just a handy excuse.

Jordan Bishop

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

I have to take issue with the last paragraph of your Comment: "If Bush and Cheney launch such a war against Iran, you can put to rest any illusion that America is a democracy."

This after accurately delineating the treasonous behavior of the Administration, the "pathetic performance of the Democrats in failing to cut off the purse strings for Bush's war in Iraq," and the admirable but ultimately impotent...