Letters

The Central Intelligence Agency's Secret Army

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is finally returning to its intended strength and purpose [COVER STORY, Feb. 3]. It is reassuring to see that the CIA, after years of being emasculated, is back to being the world's greatest. MICHAEL J. CASTELLANO Guilford, Conn.

The CIA is absurd. How dare an agency that has failed the American people so badly form its own secret Special Operations Group? It seems probable that the U.S. military's special forces will be pushed aside for the CIA's newer unit. With all due respect to the special-ops soldiers, they seem no different from the Army's Delta Force, and I see no reason for two highly skilled units to compete for the same missions. ADAM NETTINA West Friendship, Md.

The CIA's history of backing coups in foreign countries shows what can happen when geopolitical games distort our democratic ideals. Democracy and free speech are universal freedoms, the natural rights of all people. For us to criticize our democratic country for the actions of the CIA makes us not un-American but truly the best of Americans. JEROME MCCOLLOM West Milwaukee, Wis.

Your article pointed out that the CIA's participation in installing repressive regimes in Iran, Guatemala and Chile "ended up doing more damage in the long run to U.S. foreign policy." But more important, as a direct result of CIA intervention in foreign countries, despotic dictators were given the power to politically oppress their people and to imprison, torture and murder them. Ironically, these are among the same abuses that the U.S. government now cites in its argument for a military invasion of Iraq. Our policymakers continue to demonstrate a purely self-serving attitude toward the populations of poor non-Western countries. SHARON CONNOR Encinitas, Calif.

David Wise, in his essay "Why the Spooks Shouldn't Run Wars," referred to the 2002 incident in Yemen in which a CIA Predator drone fired a missile that vaporized a car carrying a U.S. citizen, alleged terrorist Kamal Derwish. Wise noted that Derwish had not been charged with or convicted of any crime and asked, "Where is the outrage?" Well, the terrorists have had their turn to play rough, and now it's our turn. If we plan to ask politely that each terrorist suspect outside the U.S. submit to questioning, we might as well give all terrorists a free pass to enter the country. Derwish was riding with an al-Qaeda leader; that seems enough justification to me. If you harbor or help terrorists, then you too are a terrorist. DOUG FISHER Dorado, Puerto Rico

Reluctant Allies

After reading your article on why Europeans want President George W. Bush to slow down before going to war with Iraq [WORLD, Feb. 3], I was struck by how much I agree with them. Bush has failed to make his point with me too. I don't care for his cowboy attitude. I hope Americans wake up, smell the coffee and decide not to re-elect him. I have two sons, one serving in the Army in Afghanistan and the other a high school senior. I am totally at a loss as to what Bush hopes to accomplish by declaring war on Iraq. ANGIE NIEMEYER Fort Wayne, Ind.

Never attack a violent dictator; just wait for him to act, and when he does, lose pathetically. That seems to summarize the European strategy in World War II and even today. Back in the 1940s, America and the U.S.S.R. saved Europe. Today the U.S. is again taking responsibility for doing the dirty work. Europe should shut up and be grateful. ODED WOLFF Haifa, Israel

Nobody in Europe doubts that the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein, but we fear that an Iraq war would spread to other Muslim countries. Because Europe has a high percentage of Muslims and is in close geographical proximity to the Arab world, Europeans may have better insight into what will happen if the U.S. launches a unilateral strike. JAN SANDER Bremen, Germany

You correctly identified six reasons Europeans, even those devoted to the U.S., are reluctant to follow U.S. policy on Iraq. But it seems there is a seventh reason: doubt about President Bush's legitimacy. Many Europeans think he did not actually win the presidency. Bush wasn't the choice of a majority of American voters. Who can be certain that he really won in Florida? HELMUTH LAVICKA Stockholm

Saddam and his regime are extremely dangerous and will remain so unless removed from power. A doubting Thomas would advise caution, declaring that no proof has been found of any nuclear-bomb program or nerve gas. But remember the "super gun" that Saddam was building before the Gulf War? He didn't announce that to the world, so why would he tell anyone he is producing devastating weaponry now? What about the way he set fire to the oil wells in 1991 when his army was retreating from Kuwait? Are these the acts of a man to be trusted? A man like Saddam would drag his own country and people down with him rather than capitulate. PHILIP ROE York, England

From a cynical point of view, the escalation of terrorism that could result from a war against Iraq might be beneficial for President Bush. It could allow him to once again play the part of the great uniter of the American people against the evil enemy--as was the case after Sept. 11--and thus improve his chances for re-election in 2004. ASBJORN ANDERSEN Vanloese, Denmark

Question: what do you feed a 500-lb. gorilla? Answer: whatever he wants. That's the simple explanation for why so many Europeans are skeptical about Bush's policy toward Iraq. The only remaining superpower can do whatever it wants. And it will. This time, with Saddam, it is a good and morally justified case, but what comes next? What other dictator will Bush choose to get rid of? The world would be a better place without Saddam. But the U.S. should work with the U.N., get the go-ahead from the Security Council and then give him hell. DIRK NEGA Dusseldorf, Germany

Advice to Germany and France: don't wait until you get hit by a chemical warhead from Saddam or al-Qaeda to finally understand the threat. The U.S. and its allies should disarm Iraq now. Since when do terrorists take the trouble to warn us about their attacks? GLEN G. OCANA Denver

You don't have to go to Europe to find people who consider Bush terrifying. Just come to New York City, where a substantial number of people feel the same way and are just as frightened as the Europeans are. Perhaps that's because a terrorist attack in retaliation for an Iraq invasion would probably take place here in New York City and not in those parts of the country where people enjoy pretending to be cowboys or eagerly await Armageddon. LAUREN ESPOSITO New York City

The whining and America bashing by Europeans are similar to what we saw in the '80s. They called Ronald Reagan a cowboy too. His "cowboy" leadership resulted in a Europe free from the threat of communism. Once again, another cowboy President will save Europeans from their inaction and lack of will. GEORGE MACCONNELL Atlanta

Thank god, Germany and France, which see no justification now for military action, are the "old Europe." They know the price of war. PHILIPPE MISCHLER Paris

Of Fairness and Taxes

In the article "The Really Unfair Tax" [Nation, Feb. 3], you noted that wages withheld for Social Security may be taxed twice or even three times for retirees whose income exceeds a certain level. Our tax code would be a lot fairer and of more benefit to the Social Security system if all of us, the rich included, paid taxes on our entire income. CAROL L. HOWELL Bethany Beach, Del.

If we return $100 to 1,000 taxpayers, perhaps each would buy a DVD player, a digital camera or a pair of sneakers, most of which are made outside the country, adding to the trade deficit. But if we return $100,000 to one person, perhaps he would expand his medical-supply company and add jobs to the local economy. ALEX RAFIE Palo Alto, Calif.

The real injustice of Social Security withholding is not that the money might end up being taxed three times but that wage earners are forced by law to participate in the plan. To remedy this injustice, let's make participation voluntary. For those who wish to opt out, allow them to recover and transfer to IRAs all their Social Security and health-care tax payments so that they can provide for their own retirement. STEPHEN DOURSON Gratis, Ohio

Going Right on the Left Coast

That the conservative student magazine the California Patriot has flourished at the famously liberal University of California, Berkeley, should come as no surprise to the school's alumni [ON THE CAMPUS, Feb. 3]. For years, both in and out of the classroom, students have learned that dissent is at the core of what the Founding Fathers practiced and envisioned for this nation. Sadly, the publication's editors have failed to understand that patriotism knows no political ideology or party and that its tenets go far beyond flying an American flag. JAMES DEVITT Larchmont, N.Y.