Letters

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Although I strongly support the goal of peace in the Middle East, I disagree with certain ideas about how to achieve it. Are Palestinians such a threat that the Israelis have to build a wall around them? The wall not only violates human rights but also imposes on innocent people the same kind of restrictions that the Jews endured 60 years ago. I'm disappointed that Americans don't seem to care about the world outside their borders. People need to be more aware. Not only has the future of the U.S. been affected by the re-election of President Bush, but the whole world will have to bear the consequences.
DEBORAH MATHIJSEN
Ghent, Belgium

I was unhappy about the way the U.S. dealt with the death of Arafat. There should have been more respect and sympathy shown for the passing of the Palestinians' leader. The world community must recognize the good things the man has done.
DAVID MURRAY
Durban, South Africa

Rethinking Fallujah

It is no wonder that Fallujah is a murderously dangerous city to fight in [Nov. 22]. Killing has become a day-to-day occurrence in Iraq. Saddam Hussein was a ruthless dictator, but at least he controlled the Iraqi people and the level of violence in the country. What is happening now is worse. The Iraqi people are being butchered and dominated by U.S. occupation forces.
BIBHABARI RATH
Cuttack, India

Although many in the media are gloating over what they consider to be the U.S. failure in Iraq, the game is not yet over. The Americans are approaching their objective: to change the basic parameters in the Middle East by introducing democracy. The millions of voters who turned out in Afghanistan are a prime example. Why not talk about the courage of the Iraqi Prime Minister and his team, who are constantly at risk? The strength of the Iraqi people, despite the suffering they have endured for so many months, illustrates their yearning for democracy and political maturity. Some say the American adventure in Iraq has multiplied the number of fanatics. But Iraq has become the gathering point for pre-existing fanatics; their destruction in Iraq will be all the more resounding and mark the decline of their influence. French diplomacy has been heavily mistaken in opposing U.S. policy. Let us hope that France will pull itself together and actively join its natural allies, the U.S. and Britain, in the great battle for democracy being waged in Iraq.
JOSEPH HAZAN
Paris

Innocent American lives should no longer be wasted in Iraq. The U.S. should stop sacrificing its soldiers for a cause that the Iraqis are not willing to fight for themselves. The U.S. cannot secure Fallujah against further attacks from insurgents if the Iraqi police don't stand up and fight for their own freedom.
TUNDE OGUNJANA
Lagos

Better Safe Than Sorry?

Re "A shot seen round the world," about the videotape of a Marine apparently killing a wounded Iraqi in a Fallujah mosque [Nov. 29]: It's amazing that we don't hear more stories like that. I hold no ill will toward the Marine, because I cannot begin to fathom what he and others endure in Iraq every day — car bombs, roadside rockets and booby-trapped bodies. To all the armchair generals who criticize what happened at the mosque, I say grab a gun and try living a Marine's life for a few weeks and see how you would react. The U.S. holds its soldiers to a higher level of moral behavior, but war is war and sometimes mistakes are made. If that Marine is found guilty of a crime, he will be held accountable. But where was all the Middle East outrage at the beheading and shooting of unarmed civilian hostages?
JOHN RILEY
Atlanta