Letters: Dec. 3, 2001

Bin Laden's Web of Terror

"The time is long overdue for moderate Muslims to conspicuously join against terrorism and the al-Qaeda network." BOYD C. BAIRD Traverse City, Mich.

Re your article on Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network: Over the past few years we have been going gaga over globalization; now let us face its inevitable fallout, global terror [SPECIAL REPORT, Nov. 12]. The web of terror is enmeshed in the Internet. We must be prepared for online terrorism. Still we should not lose faith in technology; it will surely produce a solution to the problems it is creating. NANDINI DUTTA New Delhi

The map you published of al-Qaeda's network of influence was enough to put the fear of God into any nonbeliever. How can we possibly hope to defeat such an extensive organization? I'm glad that I'm not young anymore and I'll probably not live to see the end of this devil's plan. YVONNE SMITH Satellite Beach, Fla.

Al-Qaeda and its various factions never had the ability to start a revolution in their own countries--a people's revolution like the ones in France, Poland, Russia and the U.S. These cowards live in caves for a reason. They are afraid to face society and Islam openly with their complaints. An open society is easy to destroy but harder to build, maintain and govern. These terrorists are so intolerant of others, they themselves are dictators. GERRI CROFTS Whitehouse Station, N.J.

Unless the underlying causes of terrorism are addressed and resolved, these militants will continue to sprout up like poisonous mushrooms on a dung heap, releasing their deadly spores to travel around the world. The U.S. will be a lot safer when it forgoes the rule of "might makes right" in its international affairs and supports the United Nations in its efforts to resolve international disputes fairly. The world is too interconnected to solve international problems while peering through the lens of nationalism. NEIL BEZAIRE Carlsbad, Calif.

Bin Laden has gravely underestimated the resolve of Americans to defend their liberty, whatever the price. And that makes more than 280 million reasons he can't win. JOHN F. CAMPBELL Los Angeles

The War Against the Taliban

Every fiber of my being is saying, get out of Afghanistan [THE WAR, Nov. 12]! Hundreds if not thousands of the terrorists who were trained there have gone on to other places. And in other countries the training may be passed on to thousands more who have the same hatred. American money and time should be spent on isolating Afghanistan, supporting countries nearby and mending fences. I am afraid that the U.S. will squander a huge amount of its personnel and financial resources without accomplishing anything but a loss of international support. HEATHER WHITE Palo Alto, Calif.

Nukes on the Loose