The recent Pilot interview with U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (Aug. 27) revealed a great deal about his lack of thinking and logic.

He says he voted for the House Iraq resolution based on the assumption that there was a sound post-entry strategy. He apparently made no attempt to find out if there was one.

Further, he says we made two mistakes in Iraq. First, we did not plan on looting and, second, we allowed the Iraqi army to be decommissioned. These are miniscule mistakes against our not fully assessing the strength of terrorist suicide bombers.

Congressman Coble says we should consider troop withdrawal in Iraq, yet he -- unlike many of his colleagues -- has never gone to Iraq to determine whether he can support his position.

He offered many "I don't know" answers to your questions. He doesn't know if we sent enough troops to Iraq; he doesn't know if our troops are in the middle of a civil war in Iraq; and he doesn't know if the oil background of President Bush influences his energy policy.

My conclusion, after reading the interview, is that Congressman Coble does not do his homework. He may be too old, too tired or in Congress too long. I just "don't know."

George James

Southern Pines