Letters: Jul. 19, 1999

KOSOVO: THE AWFUL TRUTH

It is a true rarity for a medium to muster the courage to examine closely a topic that so many others have chosen to sidestep [KOSOVO CRISIS, June 28]. Your report on the horrific discoveries in Kosovo showcased the atrocities with such impact that those who were still pondering the validity of U.S. involvement in the war can now intelligently answer their own questions. The haunting scenes of massacre victims remind us why the U.S. cannot–and will not–stand idly by while human beings are relentlessly slaughtered. KASEY COLE SWISHER Burley, Idaho

The awful truth is that the “ethnic cleansing” that took place in Kosovo was a direct consequence of the NATO bombings, not the other way around. PASCAL IFRI St. Louis, Mo.

Images of the horrors committed in Kosovo propel the consciousness toward a bottomless pit. It is unbelievable that one man can instigate such a collective assault on the human body, mind and spirit. It is impossible to accept that Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic will probably slip through the cracks of international jurisprudence. For those of us who do not believe in hell, how can Milosevic be explained? And how will he and his troops be punished? For those of us who do, could even the fires of hell be harrowing enough punishment? RANJIT RAUNIYAR New York City

With every report that comes out of Kosovo, I become more convinced that NATO made the wrong decision in its rush to bomb. Before the air war, Serbian atrocities were occurring, but with nowhere near the intensity of the post-bombing acts of horror. It is quite likely that tough carrot-and-stick diplomacy could have brought about a solution with less human tragedy and a greater chance for long-term peace and stability. At the very least, force should have been held in reserve while real diplomacy was given a chance. I sincerely hope Americans and the media will seriously reflect on the costs and benefits of this conflict. It is possible that we are taking credit for ending something we helped initiate. SCOTT D. ERB Augusta, Maine

Too bad William Seward, the 19th century U.S. Secretary of State responsible for the purchase of Alaska, isn’t in office today. He probably would have bought Kosovo from Milosevic for $7.2 billion, allowing the Kosovars to stay put in peace. The Serbs would be happy with the money. The U.S. would have had no moral dilemma. And if you consider the cost of the NATO war machine and the price of eventually rebuilding Kosovo, we would be ahead by billions, maybe even trillions, of dollars. HARRIET G. LELAND Dayton, Ohio

Were I an armed Kosovar, I would never surrender my weapon. Just look at the evidence of Serbian atrocities in your magazine! I might put the gun down, but I would do with it what my old neighbor in France did. He had fought in the Resistance during World War II. Back home, he packed his machine gun and ammunition in Cosmoline, wrapped them in oilcloth, crated the parcel and buried it near his house–just in case the Boche came back. GEORGE B. JOHNS Spring Grove, Pa.

As a follow-up to the cataclysm in Yugoslavia, we need a congressional investigation as thorough as the one that gave us the Cox report on Chinese spying. Did NATO give Milosevic an ultimatum that it knew he would refuse? What is the truth about ethnic cleansing in Kosovo? Reporters who were there should be asked to testify. Also the air war had a vital role in causing the refugee problem. Let it all hang out. Was this truly a military engagement, or did politicians pull the strings on a day-to-day basis? Let the right questions be asked, and let’s have truthful answers–the good and the ugly. ANTHONY D. LUTZ Vienna, Va.

THE RUSSIANS PULL A FAST ONE

The masters of deceit have done it again. The dash of Russian troops into Kosovo and their takeover of the Pristina airport [KOSOVO CRISIS, June 28] not only trumped NATO but once more intentionally humiliated the U.S. No desperate face-saving maneuvers will convince Americans that the Russians acted properly. Naively and predictably, we never seem to learn from history; we continue to ignore its harsh lessons. VYTAUTAS MATULIONIS Cleveland Heights, Ohio

THE PRESIDENT’S DOCTRINE

Douglas Waller’s “The Three Ifs of a Clinton Doctrine” highlights the current disarray of U.S. foreign policy [KOSOVO CRISIS, June 28]. Clinton, desperate for a lasting political legacy, has seriously depleted American political capital. Waller claims that the Clinton doctrine provides guidelines for deciding whether to get involved in a conflict. Rather, the philosophy supported by Clinton shows how a country stumbles into a costly military campaign, expends precious resources fighting and escapes with a hollow and expensive “victory” while dancing around the nuclear trip wire. LORENZO R. CORTES Alexandria, Va.

TALKING HEADS AND THE WAR

For the first time in print, Michael Kinsley articulated the sad truth about the commentators and talking heads as they aired their gloomy views of the Kosovo war [ESSAY, June 28]. They were mostly proved wrong, yet the media continue to pursue their appraisals. The fact remains that the war was won by air power and without using ground troops, and that Clinton, Blair et al. were proved right. This article should be recommended reading for all political analysts. HERBERT D. RESTON Beverly Hills, Calif.

Kinsley stated that Clinton “lucked out” in the war. But the Kosovo effort was the essence of sound military strategy, well thought out and implemented. The 4th century B.C. Chinese military tactician Sun Tzu wrote that the skillful leader “subdues the enemy without fighting.” In battles at Carrhae (53 B.C.), in which the Romans were defeated by the Parthians, to Agincourt (A.D. 1415), armies have successfully applied the tactics of submitting a defenseless foe to aerial bombardment while avoiding a ground battle. Not luck but a thorough understanding of military strategy has led to a result of which the American people can be proud. DOUGLAS WALKER Ventura, Calif.

Clinton triumphed because he put his trust in expertise based on knowledge of the facts, something Rhodes scholar types tend to do. Give Clinton credit where credit is due. History will. ANN ALPER Pacific Palisades, Calif.

BETTER PLACES TO POST

So some members of the House of Representatives want to pass a law [NATION, June 28] that would allow states to post the Ten Commandments in schools? If that is appropriate, then why not post them in the White House, the halls of Congress, the statehouses and the offices of boards of education? Place the blame for the sorry state of our education system–and there is plenty to go around–where it belongs, not on the backs of the children or their parents. SYDNEY K. POTTER Tampa, Fla.

BEHIND THE BADGE

I was blown away by Steve Lopez’s article on the shooting of a Phoenix police officer in “Death on the Beat” [LAW, June 28]. I have not read a more sensitive, searing piece in a long time–if ever before. Lopez captured in a brief and haunting way the dilemma of modern-day police departments all over the country. Officer Mark Atkinson, who died pursuing drug dealers, was a true American hero. Thanks for bringing his story to us. MARY MYERS Battle Creek, Mich.

WOMEN’S SOCCER…STARS

I have watched a couple of Women’s World Cup soccer games [SPORT, June 28], and boy, can these women show the guys a few things! None of those injury theatrics. None of the up-in-the-air love affairs when a goal is scored. There was good, clean, organized play, just as it used to be. It might be interesting to see one of these women’s teams play against the “superstar actors.” REG PIKE Davie, Fla.

PICKFORD THE FAIR

In the article on the revival of books and videos featuring actress Mary Pickford [SHOW BUSINESS, June 28], you wrote that after she made her last film in 1933 and sustained the deaths of her siblings and ex-husband, Pickford “quietly drank herself into oblivion” until her death in 1979. But in spite of her battle with alcohol, Pickford continued to be involved with the business affairs of United Artists until 1956 and worked for many charities. If the last part of Pickford’s life was not in keeping with that of a movie heroine, neither was it the fade-out of one totally “pickled in Pickfair.” LISA MITCHELL Hollywood

What a joy to read about pickford and the magic she generated! For me, 14 years younger than she, Pickford was a goddess–her curls, her smile. My life was spent seeing every one of her movies (5[cetns] a show) and making a scrapbook of her photos. No one on the screen came close to her. I was disappointed that you did not mention her last husband, Buddy Rogers, who lived with her during her declining years at Pickfair. A storybook marriage for all of us who knew him–imagine marrying Mary Pickford! SALLY VON OSTMAN Tucson, Ariz.

CRUNCHED BUT EXHILARATED

Your report on internet start-up companies “Living the Late Shift,” described the cramped, uncomfortable, poorly ventilated places where employees work long hours [BUSINESS, June 28]. Why do people do it? It’s not the paycheck. It’s the thrill of being able to design a system, to stay abreast of the technology. The attrition rate you report for programmers–80% in 20 years–is high, but many of the people I work with have more than 20 years in the computer field, and most are still excited to show up at work every day. Myself included! CLEA ZOLOTOW Boulder, Colo.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

I applaud the efforts of Third Voice, the new software start-up that allows users to add their own remarks in Post-it-type notes to other people’s sites [TECHNOLOGY, June 28]. Too many people forget the creators of the Web originally intended that any person be able to set up links to any site. JEDIDIAH J. PALOSAARI Dearborn, Mich.

GUNNING FOR BUFFY

I find it ironic that we are ready to cancel episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and change the “ever so violent” titles of movies [ARTS AND MEDIA, June 28], while Congress has rejected several new laws for gun control. REICHA SNELL LeRoy, N.Y.