Fall Sneaks Fallout

In Robert W. Welkos’ “The Loose Cannons” (Sept. 12), George Clooney says the Gulf War was a “media darling,” and the consensus was “it’s going to be easy.”

That’s not how I remember it. I remember “60 Minutes” doing a very pessimistic piece about our tender untested troops going up against the “elite,” “select,” “crack” (pick your superlative) Republican Guard. There were all kinds of dire predictions about the impending “mother of all battles.” And though the public was generally supportive, I wouldn’t say the media were. Nor was Hollywood. Nor was nearly half of Congress. There were a lot of cold feet. The Vietnam Syndrome (remember that?) was alive and well.

Clooney himself says our involvement “was very hard to swallow.” Now, of course, he wishes we’d taken a bigger bite, all the way to Baghdad. For him and other latter-day hawks, it’s always been more about George Bush than Saddam Hussein.

STEVE FOSTER

Los Angeles

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Welkos gives credit to the film “Three Kings” for challenging the Bush administration’s fictional presentation of the Gulf War. Yet, by stating that the U.S. military effort “severely crippled Saddam’s war machine, leaving tens of thousands of Iraqis dead or wounded,” he demonstrates that he, like millions of Americans, is still unaware of the true extent of the lies concerning the war.

A 1993 article in Foreign Policy, based on postwar eyewitness reports in Kuwait, estimated losses to the entire Iraqi armed forces at only 10,000 (2,000 dead and 6,000 to 8,000 wounded). This represents a loss of a mere 1% of its prewar manpower. (In military science a modern fighting force is said to be defeated only when its troop losses reach 30%.)

If 990,000 Iraqi troops under arms represent a “severely crippled” force, then there’s a bridge in New York I’d like to sell to you.

MARK GERY

Santa Ana

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A little reminder to the cast and boy wonder director of “Three Kings” who think they invented the military caper movie with political overtones. Just two words actually: “Kelly’s Heroes.”

ROBERT E. BRENNAN

Van Nuys

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Patrick Goldstein’s dismissive attitude toward directors of a certain age is very disheartening (“They Have Some Scores to Settle,” Sept. 12). But if he is determined to drive a nail in the coffin of the careers of 50-plus directors, at least get the facts straight. Sydney Pollack directed one “underachiever” since “The Firm,” not two. Unless of course Goldstein is already counting “Random Hearts,” which he seems to be dismissing before it even opens by spreading bad buzz, making its possible failure a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Calendar’s outlook and approach, which have unfortunately been prevalent throughout the entertainment media for far too long, perhaps help explain why Pollack has increasingly turned his activities toward producing. Interestingly, two of this season’s most anticipated films, “For Love of the Game” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” are from his production company.

MARILYN PADOW

Chatsworth

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Amy Wallace states that David Lynch was hired to “write and direct” the film “The Elephant Man” (“David Lynch, Mild at Heart,” Sept. 12).

“The Elephant Man” was co-written by my friend Eric Bergren and his then-partner, Christopher DeVore. It was the first screenplay they wrote, and both were nominated for Oscars for their work, along with Lynch. They later worked with him on the adaptation of “Dune,” but that was not so happy and successful a collaboration as was achieved in “The Elephant Man.” Both still work as screenwriters.

THOMAS M. CLEAVER

North Hollywood