Letters

Live Long and Prosper
"It is evident that the simple Asian arithmetic for a long life is to take happiness, subtract tension, divide worries and multiply exercise."
K. Chidanand Kumar
Bangalore, India

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Your article "Long Lives Well Lived" explored the reasons that Asians in certain areas have an exceptional life expectancy [July 21]. I have observed that the Buddhist monks of Thailand's Forest Tradition, despite eating only one meager meal a day and sleeping only four to six hours a night, tend to live very long lives. The tranquillity of their minds promotes longevity. Naturally, eating more food requires the body to work harder to digest it, resulting in more wear and tear on the body's organs; similarly, a tranquil mind requires little energy. Genetics plays only an indirect role, for tranquil-minded, sparely eating parents tend to raise their children to be the same.
Tawit Chitsomboon
Nakornratchasima, Thailand

Untruth & Consequences
Regardless of whether the CIA approved George W. Bush's State of the Union message before it was delivered [July 21], the fact remains that the President presented a piece of false evidence in support of the Administration's case for going to war with Iraq. The CIA had warned members of the President's staff that the intelligence was not good enough to make the flat statement that Saddam Hussein had "sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." Even though Bush cited the British government in his statement, he conveyed a falsehood. It was Bush, not the CIA, who deceived Americans; it is he and his Administration that must be held accountable.
Greg Cox
Wheaton, U.S.

The persistent denials that the war in Iraq was a mistake and the claims that it was justified by intelligence are beginning to hurt us all. Are today's leaders so blind as to deny their failures? Isn't this stubbornness the result of a belief that admitting one's errors is abhorrent? It's a pity that the people in charge would nonchalantly throw away their potential to do good because of false pride. Maturity is required in leadership, but officials today think humility can lead to a loss of dignity.
Ernesto Kelly Magtoto
Las Pinas City, the Philippines

One man is ultimately responsible for declaring war on Iraq: George W. Bush. The scapegoating of CIA Director George Tenet for the false uranium intelligence report does not conceal the fact that Bush, acting on flawed intelligence, launched a war against a sovereign nation not imminently threatening the U.S. Congress and should be held accountable as well. Here's the scorecard to date on Iraq: no uranium, no weapons of mass destruction and no end to the loss of American life, just an ever growing cache of lies and excuses.
Dan Nace
St. Louis, U.S.

The so-called proof used to justify the war in Iraq doesn't look convincing. Both the British and American governments are telling lies to improve their credibility. That's common practice with most politicians. But how can they be so naive or so full of contempt to think that the ordinary citizen is stupid enough to believe their fabrications?
Pierre Marechal
Calgary, Canada

Bush's reasons for war change weekly, depending on the situation. The day may come when he's forced to say, "Well, I just thought it was a great idea. So what?"
Guido Becker
Cologne, Germany

Although the public and the press appear to have awakened to Bush's manipulation of information in preparing us for the Iraq war, we still need to focus on the fallacy of his overall vision. Whereas Iraq posed little or no threat, North Korea is clearly a great nuclear danger, and yet Bush backs off from any confrontation. It seems he likes only easy targets.
Jeffrey McCabe
Oberhofen, Austria

There will always be a price to pay for freedom and security, and some mistakes will be made, even when intelligence is received from reliable sources. But the fact is that the Iraqi people, enslaved for 30 years by a crushing and terrifying government, can now begin to rebuild their lives. And we are no longer threatened by Iraq's possible use of horrific weapons.
Barrett C. Craner
Pleasanton, U.S.

President bush's campaign against Iraq has unintentionally created a diversion for the archevildoer—the man behind 9/11—and attacks he might be planning right now. Does anyone still remember Osama bin Laden?
Sammy Somekh
Ramat Gan, Israel

Imperial Inexperience
You reported that the problems Americans are experiencing in Iraq are the result of the U.S.'s shoddy planning [July 14]. But let us not forget that Americans are inexperienced in the business of colonizing and ruling a country other than their own. How can they handle Iraq? Give the job to the British and the French, who have centuries of experience in this field.
Sujit Chakravarty
Calcutta

Operational Ethics
I never thought of those who worked to separate the Bijani twins [July 21] as anything but heroes. The medical-team members risked their peace of mind to offer those two brave women a chance at a normal life. Both twins knew what the outcome might be. But life conjoined was so intolerable they were willing to risk death to end their suffering. The saddest irony to me was seeing their two coffins. The twins were individuals at last, but only in death.
Marie H. Medoro
Mississauga, Canada

Kudos to Charles Krauthammer for supporting the decisions of the Bijani twins and their doctors. But shame on him for getting stuck in the mire of religious values and cultural biases in regard to assisted suicide. If it wasn't a sin for the Bijani sisters to look death in the face and accept its reality, why is it a sin for others? Although I believe Krauthammer is right in arguing that trying to separate the Bijani twins was not assisting suicide, I take a strong stand against his implying that assisted suicide is immoral for anyone else who suffers from a variety of nature's scourges. The world is full of sick, debilitated and dying people who would feel blessed to know that a doctor could help them find a peaceful and graceful way out—as the Singapore doctors did for the Bijanis.
Wanda Allison
Valbonne, France

Stressed or Just Spoiled?
"Spa kids" reported that "massages and facials are now in vogue with the younger set" [July 21]. Meanwhile, the U.S. Census Bureau states that 16.3% of American children live in poverty. The teens patronizing day spas would be better off if they devoted their time to helping their less fortunate peers. Maybe then they would realize that by comparison, they have little to be stressed over. Perhaps it would provide some perspective for their parents, too.
Patricia J. Williams
Cary, U.S.

We have the ultimate spa for kids here in our town. It features 100% natural mud treatments, floral and herbal aromatherapy and even a special oxygen-enhanced relaxation area. The name of this secret retreat for the junior set? Our backyard.
Amanda Uhry
Ridgefield, U.S.

To Set the Record Straight
Still Writing
In the article on the controversy over claims that Iraq sought African uranium [July 21], we published a photo caption that incorrectly said Mike Gerson was a former chief speechwriter at the White House. Gerson still holds that position.

PULLING OUT THE STOPS
CIA chief George Tenet was the first to take the blame for not deleting from President George W. Bush's State of the Union address the line about Iraq trying to buy African uranium [IRAQ: THE EVIDENCE, July 21]. And the Administration's pointing of the finger at Tenet prompted several readers to recall the famous motto THE BUCK STOPS HERE, adopted by President Harry Truman (shown here in 1959 at the Truman presidential library in Independence, Missouri). Observed Brad Nelson of Ypsilanti, Michigan: "Unlike Truman, it seems that George W. Bush would rather pass the buck." William C. Ellerman of Silver Spring, Maryland, quipped, "By making the hapless CIA agents the fall guys, Bush signaled that THE BUCK STOPS ANYWHERE BUT HERE." And Ron Bonn of San Diego deduced, "Bush has evidently amended Truman's sign to read THE BUCK STOPS OVER THERE AT TENET'S PLACE."