Questioning the Iraq War
It is an indication of how effective the insidious issue-spinning propaganda machine of the neoconservatives in Washington has been that even a supposedly balanced publication like NEWSWEEK is giving a very biased reading of events in the Middle East. You say, “Without question, finally snatching Saddam was a big victory” (“Operation Hearts and Minds,” Dec. 29/Jan. 5). Really? Whoever doubted that the country that spends more than any other nation in the world on the military would be able to topple Saddam and finally capture him? The real victory would be to come up with results on what the United States proclaimed as its war goals in the first place. Where are those WMD? Where are those links between Iraq and terrorism? Where are the flowers that were supposed to be showered on the “liberators”? Where is stability in the Middle East? And then, in the same issue, Fareed Zakaria tells us in “The Democrats’ Own Quagmire” that Libya’s decision to give up its WMD programs (an effort 10 years in the making, notably through diplomatic engagement by European countries) is a consequence of the Bush war. Give us a break! We all know that a presidential election is coming up in the States. In that context, image wins hands-down over substance, and short-term sensational announcements over long-term solutions. And with friends like NEWSWEEK, George W. Bush is probably on his way to a second, equally deceptive, term. Laurent Renevier Paris, France
Even if Osama bin Laden were to be captured today, terrorism will still be with us for a long time. This makes every improvement in the identification of travelers very necessary, so as to curtail the freedom of movement of international criminals without unduly inconveniencing honest people. This would end the irresponsible practices of some countries. Jorge Mosettig Acassuso, Argentina
Reparation for an Unjust War
Fareed Zakaria’s columns are usually thoughtful and perceptive, but I think he was wrong to say that “it makes no sense” to hold that our war in Iraq was a mistake and then go on to hold that “now that we’re there, we should stay and see it through,” (“The Democrats’ Own Quagmire,” Dec. 29/Jan. 5). It makes perfect sense: the Coalition attack did not fulfill the conditions of a just war, but it destroyed Iraq’s infrastructure, removed its government and disrupted its ordinary life. We did that to Iraq, so we now have a duty of reparation, to set things right again, even if that takes a very long time. Mark T. Nelson Leeds, England
Whomever attempts to address the sensitive issue of justification for the war in Iraq–be it journalists like Fareed Zakaria, politicians like Howard Dean or amateurs like myself–no one can help judging the issues with the benefit of recent hindsight. It is interesting to note that Zakaria did not mention Saddam Hussein’s capture in his essay. If the former dictator’s detention fails to bring any considerable improvement in the situation, the quagmire will be back in the president’s court in a matter of months, if not weeks. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany
An International Trial?
I think that it is absolutely essential for the United States to involve some independent third party (like The Hague International Criminal Tribunal) in the judicial investigation and interrogation of Saddam Hussein (“Trying Iraq’s War Crimes,” Dec. 29/Jan. 5 ). Otherwise, we cannot help suspecting that his confession will be drawn out with brutal force, or totally fabricated. Kyoichi Kunimi Fujisawa City, Japan
Retiring From Real Estate
In “Bad Days for Il Cavaliere,” the Jan. 26 story about Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, an allusion is made–without explicit identification–to the real-estate project Costa Turchese in Sardinia. I would like to make it clear that the Fininvest Group, owned by the Berlusconi family (in which Silvio Berlusconi has not been directly involved since entering politics), is not planning any building activities, either in Sardinia or anywhere else. In fact, some time ago the Fininvest Group took the decision to leave the real-estate sector and sold the interests it had in this area. All that remains is some land, including the area known as Costa Turchese, which is in the process of being sold to a third party–in line with the group’s decision to not engage in real-estate development. Franco Curro Director of Communications, Fininvest Milan, Italy
Illegal in India
I am writing in response to your Feb. 2 cover story about reproductive technology that makes sex selection of human babies possible (“Made to Order”). Apropos your reporting, I would like to clarify that we get patients from all over the world for the treatment of infertility. But since gender selection by any method–including preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)–is illegal and banned in India, I neither advocate it, nor do I perform it. Hrishikesh Pai, M.D., F.C.P.S. Infertility Specialist and Gynecologist Lilavati Hospital Mumbai, India
Cisneros Responds
Your article “The Godfather’s List” (Dec. 29/Jan. 5, 2003) is full of inaccuracies concerning me and the Cisneros Group of Companies. Although I am extremely proud of my Cuban heritage, I am Venezuelan by birth. The Cisneros Group is a multinational group of companies with operations around the world, and it is not “based in Miami.” We did not back Hugo Chavez or any other candidate for the presidency in 1998. Venevision, our TV network, provided equal time to all candidates, as it has always done during the past six presidential elections. I most emphatically do not “covet the presidency” and never will: I am a businessman, not a politician. Finally, according to your correspondent, Venezuelans “felt betrayed” when we severed our ties with Pepsi-Cola and associated with Coca-Cola in 1996. This is an odd statement, considering that sales of Coke went from an insignificant position in the Venezuelan market to a dominant one since the transaction. A case of new love vanquishing an old one, perhaps? Gustavo A. Cisneros Chairman and CEO Cisneros Group of Companies Caracas, Venezuela
Where Are the Women?
Other than those featured in the year-end “who died” column, only four women figured in your Dec. 29/Jan. 5 issue. There was a Periscope item about Madhur Jaffrey’s new cookbook, two paragraphs on Holly Dunlap’s flirty party-girl shoes, a mini-interview on why Alicia Keys doesn’t feel the need to wear “booty shorts” and an article on actress Keira Knightley’s navel. The rest of the magazine was devoted to men. But who made the cover? The beautiful 18-year-old Knightley, who by all appearances is a vibrant young woman, but who surely must be one of the least important people featured in your double year-end issue. This seems to me the journalistic equivalent of posing a bikini model on the hood of a car, while subtly letting her know that it’s really not acceptable that she drive it. Lynne Ware Samadet, France
The Battle Over Higab
It was with great interest that I read your Dec. 1 article “Generation M.” I must admit I was shocked by the drastic measures in France, where people are denied their right to religious freedom by being blatantly discriminated against on account of their religion. I can’t understand why the higab is seen as a sign of oppression. Could covering one’s hair equal terrorism? If freedom means uncovering one’s body and showing as much as possible, then I am most happy to reject that kind of freedom. Let’s stop Muslim bashing. Ashraaf Jahangir Cape Town, South Africa
The young generation of Muslims belonging to European Union countries has been struggling with a personal identity crisis. They want to participate fully as European citizens with equal rights and equal duties and responsibilities, but countries like France, Belgium and the Netherlands have failed to offer them a fair deal in all walks of European life. This one-way approach demands that second- and third-generation European citizens give up their Muslim roots and identity and blindly assimilate into European society. The demands of these governments have only resulted in radicalism from young Muslims who have become an integral part of European communities in all walks of life. They are committed to integration, but not to assimilation. By following Islamic teachings, these youngsters would not lose their Muslim identity. Such a basic right is guaranteed under the provisions of the European Constitution for other EU countries. Islam is a religion of peace, and it advocates equal rights for men and women and people of all colors, creeds and races. It should not be a threat to so-called European culture or civilization. Syed Rashid Ali Shah Vroomshoop, Netherlands
Explaining Crossover Senses
There’s a word for it! What a revelation to read about synesthesia (“Real Rhapsody in Blue,” Dec. 1). I suspected others also might have similar crossover senses, but it didn’t seem like a sane subject to broach in polite company. Anne Underwood’s article helped me understand why, since I was a kid, I’ve preferred eating clear foods. When someone’s shouting, I see their red. When falling asleep or meditating, I see odd images at sudden sounds. A clap of thunder might produce a geometric pattern or a “kapow” from a cartoon bubble on the empty canvas of my mind. Music creates fireworks and heat, sometimes also fragrances. Some sounds are palatable as well as paletteable. A symphony can be as sumptuous as a banquet. And all this time I thought my brain was just hooked up the wrong way. I started an online voice-talent agency because I liked what I “saw” in various talents’ voices. Thanks to your article, it is now all right to come out of the closet and listen to the light. Claire O’Connor Tokyo, Japan
Just Say No to Violence
In your Dec. 1 Periscope item “Bridging the Basque Divide With a Ball Game,” writer Liat Radcliffe has it all wrong. The Basque separatists your writer refers to are really terrorists, as recognized by Spanish justice and society, and by European and American laws. Separatist ideas are legal in Spain (it is happening now in Catalonia), but not by violent means and only as long as they are defended legally. This is not the case in the Basque region. Your writer refers to a “a journalist and a professor Medem interviewed [who] tried to get their appearances cut out, loudly objecting to what they called the film’s pro-Basque bent.” This is not true. That journalist and professor are themselves Basques, and are part of the Basque victims of terrorism. They did not complain about the film’s pro-Basque bent, but of its proterrorist bent–which, as you will agree, is not the same thing. At least now, Americans should be able to differentiate between those who don’t agree with you and those who are terrorists. Carlos Bonafonte Barcelona, Spain
Turkey’s Tribulations
I appreciated your Dec. 1 overview of the war on terror (“Moving Targets”). It’s ironic that a violence-loving macho group like Al Qaeda continues to pick on “soft targets” where the primary victims are fellow Muslims–including women and children–not Westerners, as in their recent strikes in Turkey, Indonesia and Kenya. They are self-deluded hypocrites, since their aims are purportedly to protect weak and helpless Palestinians. They make full use of the freedoms of speech and religion and of human rights in the West and the tolerance of “Christian” countries for all faiths, while oppressing women and persecuting all other religious believers in their own (Muslim) countries. But I was surprised to see you list Kenya as part of the Islamic world. Kenya’s Muslims make up, by official count, about 15 percent of its population. By comparison, this would be like calling Germany a Muslim nation. By the way, don’t touch Fareed Zakaria’s column. It’s always a delightfully fresh opinion piece. Sue De Vries Nairobi, Kenya
While almost all who died in the recent attacks were Turks, we feel further penalized by the U.S. State Department’s official warnings to avoid travel to Turkey. (So much for being America’s allies in the stand against terrorism.) We live in a world where tragedies like the terrorist bombings in Turkey could befall any country in the world at any time, and yet America and the rest of Turkey’s supposed allies are once again looking out for themselves while ignoring the plight of others. Turks are becoming double victims through the ostracism and economic hardship of canceled tourism, and the loss of business and livelihoods. There is so much paranoia that U.S. insurance companies are refusing life-insurance policies to American academics who travel to Turkey for professional reasons. We are not aware of the State Department’s issuing similar warnings for Spain when the ETA attacks, or for Britain when the IRA attacks. Do people traveling to Spain or Britain not get insurance because of the ETA or the IRA? Was the United States blacklisted after 9/11? Are not the States and Britain, for which we see no travel warnings, still high on the lists of areas prone to terrorist attacks? Such shortsighted reactions are playing right into the terrorists’ hands, helping them achieve their aims. Such one-sided warnings compound the economic hardship and alienation in these regions rather than encouraging solidarity in the fight against terrorism. Zekai Tanyar Izmir, Turkey
Of Schools and Students
In writing about the huge numbers of foreign students going to U.S. colleges and universities (“Learning the Hard Way,” Sept. 15) you should have mentioned that in the United States 44 million adults are functionally illiterate and an additional 50 million cannot read or comprehend above an eighth-grade level. Apparently it’s been easier and cheaper to let people in other countries spend the necessary time and money teaching children from kindergarten through 12th grade and then import the semifinished product: college freshmen. No, don’t blame the colleges’ and universities’ admissions offices for this, as some people have. They do what they can with the material they can find. Your reporters mentioned that in other countries, higher education relies mostly or entirely on government funding. This may be what is wrong with many primary and secondary public schools in the United States–they depend on (local) government money and operate without competition. None has proved more resistant to change than teachers’ unions. Nothing will improve as long as public schools are financed by local property taxes and as long as a house’s value depends on its “location, location, location.” Dorothy Laurence Szada, Hungary
