Letters

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

I am relieved that the U.S. government and the media are addressing the threat of a terrorist attack using nuclear weapons [TERRORISM, Nov. 12]. The only real obstacle to such an assault would be obtaining fissionable material. No infiltration, truck rental, border crossing or complex delivery system would be needed--a bomb could be detonated in the hold of a ship in an American harbor. If one of our coastal cities is ever hammered by a nuclear blast, the reduced effectiveness of the device at ground level will be of little comfort, and Sept. 11 will seem like an unheeded warning. We must do whatever is necessary to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, materials and expertise. We should not delay in implementing policies that will protect our great cities from this disaster. STEVEN PAYNE Westville, N.J.

Overtaken by Events

In his commentary, Roger Rosenblatt noted that the U.S., following a period of "rampant vapidity," has reconnected with history since Sept. 11 [ESSAY, Nov. 12]. Not only is it time for us to get back into history, but we also need to remember its lessons. After the end of World War II, the U.S. used the Marshall Plan to pour millions of dollars into Western Europe to rebuild the countries ravaged by the war. When the war in Afghanistan is over, we need to invest in that country's future so another Osama bin Laden won't use it as a staging ground for terrorism. We cannot take on Afghanistan with half measures; we need a comprehensive plan to rebuild the country and return hope to its people. A.M. GULAS Alexandria, Va.

I've grown up as an American, learned my country's history. But birth and knowledge alone do not a citizen make. It often takes some great communal happening to make one feel truly connected to one's heritage and place. Every now and then an event marks the time for us with striking clarity. No matter how much sorrow lingers for the nation and the world after Sept. 11, no matter what fears we will have to accept, no matter how much anger we harbor, we're all in this together now. Isn't that what makes a nation? CHRISTOPHER KERNS Rockville, Md.

The Safety of Gum Arabic

In your article "What's Next?", about other potential weapons of terror [BIOTERROR, Nov. 5], you said one object of concern was imported gum arabic plants, the source of food additives that come largely from Sudan via Canada and may enter the U.S. uninspected because of the North American Free Trade Agreement. This was misleading. Gum arabic is imported into the U.S. directly from Africa in raw form, and at our company we liquefy, pasteurize and convert it into a powder. According to statistics from the U.S. International Trade Commission, no gum arabic was imported from Canada between 1996 and 2000. The level of concern over the safety of gum arabic in foods should be no less and no greater than that for any other food ingredient processed in the U.S. STEPHEN A. ANDON, PRESIDENT TIC Gums Belcamp, Md.

Fastball or Sinker?

In her cheerleading piece "Unleash The Pitcher Within!", Margaret Carlson asserted that President Bush's pitch at the World Series game brought great comfort to Americans [PUBLIC EYE, Nov. 12]. It seems Carlson has been taken in by the Administration's spin. I was as comforted by Bush's performance on the pitching mound as I was when I saw the 50%-off sale on gas masks at the local Army-surplus store. Carlson also wrote that Bush's off-the-cuff remarks are more powerful than his prepared speeches. Frankly, I find his casual remarks frightening. I'd feel much better about the President's "pitch" if I knew he was working to understand the real source of the problems in the Middle East. JOE LEWANDOWSKI Fort Collins, Colo.

Bush's first pitch at the world series was billed as an act of defiance against terrorist threats. All it really proved was that spending an extraordinary amount of money on increased security could protect one person. The real acts of defiance are by those who will be part of large crowds attending sporting events each weekend, postal employees who haven't missed a delivery in the face of anthrax infection and the people of New York City who are still going about their business although they were directly affected by the terrorist attacks. ANDREW ANDONIADIS Beaverton, Ore.

As a neighbor to the north, I feel that in light of recent events, the U.S. is very fortunate to have President Bush in office at this time. When he speaks, there is a sense of dignity and honor. From the perspective of someone who lives outside the U.S., I find that the President epitomizes the strength of character needed in a leader in critical times. LORI A. GRIFFIN Elmira, Ont.

Looking at the Big Picture

What happens when the war is over? Will the U.S continue to feed Afghan families? Let's try to resist the urge to revisit the caveman era, when the person with the biggest stick survived. I would be a monster if I didn't feel sorry for the families affected by the Sept. 11 attacks, but bloodshed and attacks on innocent Afghans are not the answer. AYEDE SEVER Lagos, Nigeria

There has been much concern about civilian casualties that resulted from the bombing in Afghanistan. Without wanting to sound as if I lack compassion, I must say that such losses are inevitable, since no one has yet been able to build a bomb intelligent enough to differentiate between a terrorist and a civilian. War is about winning. I see no reason for America to risk its soldiers against an antediluvian enemy who has nothing to lose. ANURAG BAHADUR Hyderabad, India

Is it any wonder that support for the war among the European allies is not as strong as the U.S. might hope? Few of these countries fought for their own freedom in World War II. Is anybody surprised that the two biggest U.S. allies from that conflict, Britain and Russia, have rallied to the U.S. side again? Or that other major participants in that war--China, Turkey, India, Germany and Australia--are all willing to contribute to the U.S. effort? This is because they've all fought before for their beliefs, while less certain countries were content merely to ride the Allies' coattails. ADAM EDWARDS Holte, Denmark

Terrorism and fundamentalism are connected to ignorance, misery and despair. Despite technological progress and the benefits of the free market, here in Latin America unemployment, social injustice and organized crime are increasing. Druglords rule poor communities. The U.S. must pay serious attention to this troubling situation, or there will be Taliban-style organizations forming south of the Rio Grande. LUIZ FELIPE HADDAD Niteroi, Brazil

Send Mickey to Kabul

The Afghan children shown in your pictures of Afghanistan are beautiful [PHOTO ESSAY, Nov. 5]. It seems as though they should be no different from children anywhere who want to have plenty to eat and go to bed with visions of pleasurable things. I've yet to meet a kid from any culture who didn't get excited about Disney World and Disney characters. Imagine how little Afghan faces would brighten if they had the opportunity to see these things! It could be said that bin Laden, al-Qaeda and the Taliban have waged war against Mickey Mouse. Maybe that should be our official propaganda slogan. DAVID ZISKIND North Woodmere, N.Y.

Britney Without Fear

Your review of Britney Spears' new album, Britney, was very disrespectful of Spears and her fans [SHORT TAKES, Nov. 12]. The CD is filled not with "titillating words and groans" but with edgy, funky tracks. It is not "frivolous" to care about Spears' artistic growth. Instead, it is what President Bush has asked Americans to do after Sept. 11--go about living our lives normally and not live in fear. Therefore, if your normal life includes listening to Britney's irresistible pop, let it be. ERIN M. LOUNSBURY Farmingville, N.Y.