Getting Our Money’s Worth?
Congratulations on your thorough investigation/analysis of the real cost of rebuilding Iraq (“Bush’s $87 Billion Mess,” Nov. 3). I hope every member of Congress will read it and come up with constructive solutions to the mess we’re in because of this unnecessary war. Please continue your investigation into the political, legal and financial costs we’ve been saddled with. Eugene Baron Oak Park, Mich.
Your cover headline “Bush’s $87 Billion Mess” begs a defense. The word “mess” implies a confusing and troublesome state of affairs. But which war isn’t a mess? You can hardly compare the trouncing of Saddam Hussein’s Republican Guard 10 years ago to what’s going on today. Why don’t more people realize that this is more than a conflict? It’s a war against terrorism that’s been put off for far too long. Dan Sloyer South Haven, Mich.
Iraq may be a mess, but it is not President George W. Bush’s mess. Congress was in favor of going into Iraq, and so was a majority of the public. Many are not swayed by the political cry that we were lied to. I am glad we went into Iraq and am appalled by any suggestion that we should leave. Ronald E. Smith Merlin, Ore.
Our invasion of Iraq has caused this 57-year-old grandmother to lose respect for the man I thought would be a sensible, honorable president. I am deeply saddened by this war; it is too similar to the quagmire of Vietnam. Why are we surprised that Iraqis try to kill our brave soldiers when, to them, we are the occupying army, the interlopers who disrupted their lives? When will the good ole boys in Washington stop playing war games and commit America to peace for all time? Kay Martin Greenville, S.C.
Etched in my memory is the picture of Bush returning to the White House against all advice on September 11 to pull America up from its knees. Now a few people are shouting “Off with his head.” The economy is recovering, and Iraq is stabilizing. Bush will breeze back into the White House next November. You can count on it. Shirley McJunkin Red Lodge, Mont.
As one who was against the war in Iraq from the beginning, I thought your series of articles finally clarified the real reason for the war. It all boils down to the unjust enrichment of politically well-connected contractors at staggering taxpayer expense. The expense is more than monetary: the lives of our dedicated young men and women continue to be wasted as the administration searches for WMD to try to justify its pre-emptive strike. We will pay for this one for a very long time. Let us not forget it in November 2004. Benjamin C. Langstroth West Islip, N.Y.
“Waste, chaos, and cronyism” riddle virtually every federal spending endeavor. True, the government can be quite clumsy when spending money. But history will not lose sight of the big picture: American strength, integrity and unyielding resolve resulting in hope and freedom in the thorniest part of the globe. Future generations will not regard this chapter as “Bush’s Mess,” but rather as a stellar display of his leadership. Benjamin Friedman New York, N.Y.
In “What Will Iraq Cost Bush?” you quote a National Security Council official as saying, “If we don’t get Iraq right in time, we could lose the election.” This comment speaks volumes about the shortsightedness and narrow focus of the administration and its minions. If we don’t get Iraq right in time, we could lose a hell of a lot more than an election. R. L. McKee New York, N.Y.
Doesn’t anyone at NEWSWEEK realize that it’s not that easy to rebuild a country after a war and that problems are inevitable? Where are your full-page spreads about the Iraqi military graduation, the re-opening of schools and hospitals, and the improved infrastructure? How about pictures of Iraqi children enjoying their now safe country? Stephen R. Collins Oceanport, N.J.
As an American who worked for the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (a nation-building mission similar to what the United States is attempting to do in Iraq), I knew from my experience that Bush, by invading Iraq, was heading the United States into a big mess. Nation-building in East Timor required tremendous effort from professional and experienced individuals from around the globe. Both East Timor and Iraq are countries with strong and deep cultures, traditions, religions and vastly different ways of thinking and doing things. What arrogance to assume we can march into Iraq and instill an American brand of democracy. Instead we have managed to destabilize the Middle East, create more terrorism, spend billions of dollars increasing the national deficit and alienate almost every other country in the world. I am angry and hold the Bush administration responsible for the (continuing) death of countless Iraqi people, American troops, aid workers and my former U.N. colleagues, including my former boss, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Dana Trump Tijeras, N.M.
Howard Fineman’s piece (“What Will Iraq Cost Bush?”) has a factual error about my father. Congressman James C. Cleveland’s political nickname in New Hampshire was Jim, not Jimmy. On a more significant note, the article demeans his name and reputation by suggesting that just because his wife is making a strange political crossover, he might have, too. After serving his state, his country and the Republican Party for more than 25 years, my father may well be rolling over in his grave by having his name mentioned in association with the likes of Howard Dean. Lincoln Cleveland New York, N.Y.
Poor Parenting Isn’t to Blame
Thank you for Marie Lee’s story about her struggles with her autistic son (“Reaching the ‘Point of No Return’ in Public,” My Turn, Nov. 3). I doubt it will change the public’s perception, but it warmed me with compassion. I, too, have a son with autism. He is 10 and does not speak. At every public outing I worry about his having a “meltdown.” On occasion, for no apparent reason, he will try to bite and scratch anyone within reach. Loud crying, yelling and thrashing accompany these actions. It is not uncommon for us to get looks of disgust, and sometimes a verbal reprimand. An older man once said to me, “In my generation, we knew how to teach our children to keep quiet.” I responded that day, but usually I turn my attention to my son and work with the situation as best I can. Lee gave me strength to know that my wife and I are not alone. Mitchell C. Wieldt St. Louis, Mo.
How well I understand Marie Lee’s predicament. I, too, have had to deal with the fits of an autistic son. Maybe Lee will be luckier than we are. My son is now 16, and what she sees in her 3-year-old still occurs occasionally in my son. But now his rage is magnified. Trying to control a 250-pound boy who has reached the point of no return requires every bit of emotional and physical strength. The good news is, my husband and I have learned to cope with the rages. We’ve learned to avoid problem places, reward good behavior, create lists that we make our son read over and over, clearly stating what is expected of him. Medication has helped, as has our rigorous behavior-management program, which we have been fine-tuning for a few years. But mostly we’ve learned to get over the stares and to accept that many people will not understand or sympathize with our struggle. But take heart, Marie, there are many who will. Rachel Lustiger Paradise Valley, Ariz.
I’ve been where Marie Lee is, raising an autistic son who had multiple tumors in infancy. There’s no question the autism experience can be agonizing, and Lee must certainly do what she can to help her son, but first she needs an attitude adjustment. She wails, “Tell these people to stop staring at me,” showing that she is more focused on her own embarrassment than she is on her son’s trauma. Her job should be to protect her son’s overstressed system from the tornado of sounds that a trolley ride inflicts; his trauma is significantly greater than her frustration. She doesn’t want to say the A word for fear he might understand–but what might that do to him? Would she be ashamed if he were blind or had cerebral palsy or diabetes? Lee shouldn’t worry about educating strangers, nor about being judged. She should work to accept, even embrace, her reality. Then she can get on with the business of being a good parent. Lane Browning Portland, Ore.
Marie Lee eloquently described what I have wanted to tell the world for years. Parents of kids on the autism spectrum deserve medals instead of dagger looks for bravely taking their children out into the community. After being stopped by airport security when my daughter kicked and screamed as I carried her out of a fast-food chain, I started carrying cards describing her neurological disorder to hand out to glaring adults. If people could stop judging a book by its cover, life would be less painful for children with autism and their families. Karen Sallerson Glastonbury, Conn.
I remember being at a playground when my 3-year-old autistic daughter melted down in a crowd. Unlike Marie Lee, who resisted the temptation to say anything to address the disapproving looks of bystanders, I glanced up from the floor and pleadingly said, “I’m sorry, she’s autistic.” I felt horrible afterward because I had apologized for her autism. I felt I had betrayed her with those words and vowed never to say them again. Parents of autistic children fight a never-ending war with victories few and far between. We fall down and have to pull ourselves up again. But we keep moving forward. And we should never apologize to anyone. Connie Wenzel-Jordan Rehoboth, Mass.
Marie Lee describes nothing more vivid than an average day in my life as the mother of three “normal” toddlers aged 4, 3 and 1. Her trolley meltdown could have happened to me any day–and has! Toddlers provide us mothers with our greatest personal joys and most public humiliations. Lee is not singled out for this fate by J’s autism. To complicate matters, society provides a suffocating double bind when a child throws a public tantrum. Parents can either accept pointed scorn for an assumed lack of discipline or face a collective horrified gasp at the application of one’s palm to a diapered heinie. Sadly, there just is no winning move if your child is screaming in front of strangers. Christine Toole Winston-Salem, N.C.
High School Post-Columbine
Your article revisiting the Columbine tragedy found the school slowly regaining a sense of normalcy nearly five years after the attacks (“Ghosts of Columbine,” Nov. 3). As members of organizations working for the safety and well-being of children, we welcome this news. However, we were alarmed by the article’s implication that the return of bullying to school grounds could be considered a sign of recovery. While bullying is certainly a frequent occurrence in schools across the country, it should not be regarded as normal behavior, nor deemed an acceptable “kids will be kids” element of schoolyard life. Our organizations have long identified bullying as a serious and dangerous issue with far-reaching consequences for its perpetrators, victims and witnesses. A recent study by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids finds that kids who are bullied are far more likely to be suicidal. Additionally, bullies are much more likely than other kids to carry weapons to school and grow up to become criminals as adults. Fortunately, quality programs have been proved to reduce bullying by as much as half. But as we tackle the problem, we need to recognize it for what it is: a heartbreaking and dangerous experience for its victims and a serious warning sign to schools–not an indicator of recovery in the aftermath of violence. A. Sidney Johnson, President and CEO Prevent Child Abuse America Chicago, Ill. Sanford Newman, President Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Washington, D.C.
The otherwise excellent article on Columbine referred to “anti-choice demonstrators” sometimes showing up at school with distasteful signs. Doesn’t NEWSWEEK’s manual of style in this politically correct age teach its reporters to call a group by the designation the group prefers? Not one of those demonstrators would call him- or herself anti-choice. Editors would not allow any other group to be referred to in such a derogatory and inaccurate way. Steve Larson Newark, N.J.
Thank you for continuing to explore the tragedy at Columbine. I was already out of high school when the shooting happened, but I live right down the street from the high school and can assure you that it affected the entire community. The real problem with Littleton, Colo., is that it is a mostly white and conservative area where being different is practically a crime. “Tolerance” is a word that has yet to be learned. I’m afraid that this horrible tragedy has just given people the excuse to punish those who are different. Stephanie Jamiel Littleton, Colo.
In “Ghosts of Columbine” the author states that she conducted more than 60 interviews with students and community members to create a picture of present-day Columbine, implying that she saw the complete social spectrum of students in the school. I was therefore surprised to find an emphasis on a very select and often elite stratum of high-school society: the jocks and their social equals like cheerleaders and the dance team. Where are the other social classes from Columbine: the goths, the losers, the kids with chronic acne and hand-me-down clothes? What about the bowlers, the theater geeks, the music nerds, the chess-club devotees? I personally would like to hear the opinions of those who might be most likely to sympathize with Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Those are the students who can tell us if anything has changed in the last five years. Kurt Galbreath Ithaca, N.Y.
The Battle Over Terri’s Life
Thank you for the insightful look into the Schindler-Schiavo dispute (“Who Has the Right to Die?” Nov. 3). The accounts of Michael Schiavo’s behavior show that he was an overly controlling husband, while his lawyers’ comments suggest they are hypocrites abusing the “right to die” to commit a grave injustice. After undermining the First Amendment rights of the Schindlers, Terri Schiavo’s parents, Schiavo and his lawyers have the nerve to complain that the resulting legislation was unconstitutional. At least “Terri’s Law” passed with an overwhelming majority support of the family and state representatives. Schiavo’s orders only represent his selfish will. Emily T. Nghiem Humble, Texas
“Who Has the Right to Die?” addresses a difficult ethics issue which might be easier to grasp if we broke it down into several parts. The first part would ask if we have the right to decide which medical treatment to accept and which medical treatment to refuse. The answer to this is yes, and this is put into action every day through the consent forms used in hospitals. The second part would ask, if we are unable to speak for ourselves, who speaks for us? In many states there is a clear answer to this, and in most cases the first person in line is the spouse. If the husband has the right to provide consent on his wife’s behalf, he must also be afforded the right, absent evidence of criminal intent, to stop the treatment without government interference. Rev. Michael Moran New Milford, Conn.
Clarification
In “The $87 Billion Money Pit” (Nov. 3), we mention Babcock Power, a subcontractor of Siemens. The full name of the company is Babcock Borsig Power Services GmbH. It should not be confused with Babcock Power Inc., an unrelated company that is not on the ground in Iraq.
