Not Quite With the Quotation

Your article “Dealing With the Dear Leader” (Feb. 17) contains a quote attributed to me, concerning Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s participation on the board of directors of ABB Corp., that was edited in a manner that leaves an inaccurate impression of his recollection. My full quote was, “There was no vote on this issue and Secretary Rumsfeld does not recall it being brought before the board at any time,” which is far less equivocal than your edited quote makes it appear. Victoria Clarke Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Washington, D.C.

Why Wage War?

The cover of your Feb. 3 issue reads, “Hell Bent on War.” Accompanying these words is an image of a young, dirty, gaunt face, a mouth slightly open and a pair of long-lashed blue eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. My heart cries. Another flower to be plucked before it blooms. War is hell! It destroys those who lose and those who win. The only solution I can come up with is to force the leaders who advocate war to lead their troops into battle. If a leader is incapable of taking this task, then a favorite son or daughter should replace him. I am fairly certain alternative solutions to killing would be found. Olga Denisuk Montreal, Canada

Looking over your cover, “Hell Bent on War: Can America Really Go It Alone?” brings up a question: can you guys ever get it right? Go it alone? What about Britain and Australia and Japan and many more countries that support the U.S. position? How is that going it alone? It’s like saying my brother was an only child. Tom Reppert Bandung, Indonesia

Albert Einstein said “the world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” We as world citizens and members of mankind cannot allow this war to happen. There are other ways to go about this. War is not the answer. Amelia Rawhani Johannesburg, South Africa

Thank you for your excellent cover stories about waging war on Iraq. With its sophisticated weapons, America, I think, could really go it alone and win the war in a matter of a couple of months. But at what cost? If half of the Iraq population is dead, maimed or starved to death after the war, how can it be liberation for the Iraqis from Saddam Hussein? At the moment it seems President Bush doesn’t have a clear plan for postwar Iraq. First he should set out some plans to rescue Iraq after the war and convince the United Nations and its member nations that he really means to liberate Iraq. If not, sacrificing the lives of soldiers and innocent Iraqis would be meaningless. President Bush should not rush to war. He should be very careful that by fighting a monster he should not become one. It is better to play the mind game and give time for the United Nations to decide on war. Asokan Suppiah Neuilly-sur-Seine, France

The easy acceptance of the inevitability of an all-out attack on Iraq is very disturbing. We who are older recall how Hitler and others of his kind dragged their nations and many others into a world war, with terrible consequences. The lives of people in Iraq deserve as much respect as American lives. I think Bush’s opposition to abortion is praiseworthy, but his defense of life would be more credible if he were not so trigger-happy about going to war. Edward Penchi Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Kudos to Christopher Dickey’s “Perils of Victory.” Finally, an article that gives me back some confidence in American journalism! I waited for a long time for some words of criticism of the U.S. government’s policies. For a long time I had the impression that here we see only the dangers, and over there you see only possible advantages. Perhaps we can begin to communicate a bit better now and find the truth in both positions. Don’t think that here in Europe we like Saddam Hussein. You do us a favor in pushing him out of his seat in Baghdad. But is anyone thinking in the long term, as Dickey indicated? Can no one see the aftermath of a war? You don’t do us all a favor promoting regional warlords, international terrorism and anti-Western feelings with your war. Whatever advantage you see, forget about it. We won’t have a nicer, better world afterward, but more terror, less wealth and more misunderstanding. Axel Olliger Munster, Germany

Zinging Zakaria

Oh, what a disappointment. Fareed Zakaria’s usually thought-provoking editorial misses the point completely (“Looking on the Bright Side,” Feb. 3). Instead of trying to rationalize how a war in Iraq could potentially help the region, why not pinpoint the reason for this “radical, violent anti-Westernism”? No amount of threats or bombs is going to change anything until the West demonstrates clear commitment to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unfortunately, neither George W. Bush nor Tony Blair appears to care. Both would be well advised to listen to the increasing number of doubters among their own ranks, not to mention voters! Steve Bebb Deckenpfronn, Germany

Fareed Zakaria’s Feb. 3 column was nothing but sheer optimism. I suggest that he read Geoffrey Cowley’s “What Price Is Right?” and Christopher Dickey’s “Perils of Victory” in the same issue. Ferit Selam Ankara, Turkey

Fareed Zakaria should think about why Saddam Hussein and Islamic fundamentalists are anti-Western or, may I say, anti-American (“Looking on the Bright Side,” Feb. 3). Some of their reasons have weight. Everyone knows America is using the rest of the world. America is very worried about Iraq because it is afraid of this rising power. Has anybody ever questioned America about its weapons, deeds and actions? Probably not. Then who gave this right to America? Bush worries about Saddam as if he has nothing better to do. I’m not favoring Saddam, but honestly, tell me, is America always right? Munazza Hassan Faisalabad, Pakistan

In Fareed Zakaria’s “Looking on the Bright Side” the benefits of war that he describes seem to me to be crude propaganda to very naive readers. He speaks about the consequences of war in the same indifferent way as if he were speaking about a company’s price policy. He forgets that the underlying base of his potential benefits will be made of innumerable dead bodies. To me this is a new horrible face of the United States. People outside their borders, when need rises, may be treated as expendable. Dio Psychogios Crete, Greece

Does Fareed Zakaria honestly think American ideals of freedom and democracy will prove so contagious and infectious that all Iraqis and other Arabs will throw their arms around their liberators, thanking them and sobbing into their bosoms how they could have been so stupid or cowardly as not to take matters into their own hands? I haven’t heard of a single viable post-Saddam plan that persuades me to believe that tomorrow’s victors will not replace one evil by another, whether it be unleashing endless civil strife among a whole variety of factions, dragging more countries into war or simply inviting further terrorism. To top it all, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians remains as unresolved as ever, with the Bush administration having done almost nothing to help it come to an end. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany

Honor the Dead

In mentioning the death of Fiat patriarch Gianni Agnelli, NEWSWEEK should have pronounced a eulogy in his honor instead of stating that General Motors “may reluctantly ride to the rescue of the debt-ridden Italian maker,” which is called a “beloved but broken-down car company” (“Fiat Coming to America?” Feb. 3). I find these words to be disrespectful and ill mannered when referring to any person who has passed away. Fiat workers all over the country have been striking for months, before the tragic death of Gianni Agnelli. Why report it on this occasion? Grazia Adami Lucca, Italy

Leaving for London

The story “London Calling” chronicles Russian immigration to England from the 19th century to the present-day influx of wealthy Russians’ buying luxury homes and sending their children to expensive boarding schools (Feb. 3). Your report unfortunately does not mention the Jewish emigrants from Russia who arrived in the 1890s. They fled their peasant villages to escape the pogroms and cruelty of the tsar’s Cossacks. They rented rooms in the tenements of London, sold vegetables from pushcarts in Petticoat Lane and found religious freedom. To express their gratitude, their sons served in the British Army to defend England during World Wars I and II. Burt Silverstein Lecannet, France

Wanted for Hire: Interpreters

In “Talking the Talk” NEWSWEEK writes that translators are playing a valuable role for the National Basketball Association’s foreign players (Feb. 3). Well, I’m a translator and like all translators I know, none of us would be of any use. I for one hardly say a word all day long. I’m too busy translating (converting the written word from one language to another), which I do on a computer. What you need is an interpreter (who converts the spoken word). Unless you were thinking someone could run around all day with a pen and paper or even a laptop strapped to his waist. Jenet Peers Anglesey, Wales

Movie Madness

As a sci-fi fan in general and a “Matrix” fan in particular, I was very pleased with your Dec. 30/Jan. 6 article (“The ‘Matrix’ Makers”). I’m anxiously awaiting the “Matrix” sequels, and your timely preview story whetted my appetite for the upcoming movie and videogames. Doc Leeson Mililani, Hawaii

The classic 1934 movie “The Thin Man” was filmed in two weeks. It takes the geniuses behind the “Matrix” sequels 27 days to film a fight scene. Does anyone seriously think that any of the “Matrix” films will ever grace a great-movie list? The lengthy car chase that Devin Gordon gushes over sounds like movie going hell to me: 2003 the “Year of ‘The Matrix’ “? How depressing. Merle Balke Kentwood, Michigan

Venezuela’s Fight

Your article “Power to the People” (Dec. 16) reflects perfectly the fight of civil society in Venezuela. No single political party has been responsible for moving the hundreds of thousands of people who have pacifically marched, chanted and prayed in every city of Venezuela asking for [President Hugo] Chavez’s resignation. Nevertheless, as is pointed out in your article, some political guidance is still needed, as the people’s efforts are shadowed by government officials who have the money, military power and international media attention. In spite of that disadvantage, we Venezuelans will continue pouring into the street, watering the seeds of democracy emerging in the heart and souls of every Venezuelan. Ali Alvarez Caracas, Venezuela

Brazil’s Backroom Broker

Your article “The Man with Two Faces” (Dec. 2) asks two fundamental questions: Who really is Jose Dirceu? How strong is his (and President Lula’s) commitment to democracy and the rule of law? Our recent experience with the free-market economy was painful. Globalization helped crowd our streets with luxury cars, and left 11 million people jobless. I’m very sure they want to change this picture. What else do they want to change? Do they want to destroy the Brazilian bourgeoisie? Jose Thomaz Gama da Silva Ouro Preto, Brazil

Congratulations. Your article on our Brazilian Rasputin highlights just one of the “eminences grises” at the back of the new president. There are many other “eminences grises looming large in palace politics.” Your reporter certainly knows many of them. If not, he just has to wait for the fight for control of the reins of power in the new government in order to know them. Arthur Nogueira Campos Sao Paulo, Brazil