Mail Call: Has Dr. Phil Gone To Your Head?

Fareed Zakaria argues that the United States should provoke Iraq so that we have an excuse to attack ("To Fire on Iraq, Use a Trigger," Sept. 2). This is hardly surprising, given the hawks' buzzing over their Iraqi prey. Their reasoning is this: if Iraq doesn't already have nuclear weapons, it will get them soon, so why not attack now? But since the Bush team doesn't have the support of other countries for an attack, Zakaria seems to imply we should trick everyone into it. Don't "civilized" nations have better ways of dealing with rogue states than to bomb them? It's increasingly hard to distinguish between us "good guys" who threaten others with bombs, and the "bad guys" who are trying to acquire them.
Ann Morrissett Davidon
Philadelphia, Pa.

Poor and Huddled Masses

Kudos to NEWSWEEK for a fine article on the Bantu people of Somalia who have been declared refugees ("Following Freedom's Trail," Sept. 2). The article ex-cellently describes the incredible level of poverty and persistent ethnic prejudices that exist in part of the world. America is a beacon of hope to many people and, despite anti-Americanism abroad, many clamor to come here. Your article is the kind that makes me proud to be an American. I'll be even prouder if we as a society are able to welcome the Bantus with kindness and generosity, doing all we can so these downtrodden people will have a new life of hope.
SooSang Park
Norristown, Pa.

Your story on the Somali Bantus has left me with a deep desire to help these broken people. What better time is there to welcome and aid truly needy Muslims than at the height of Islamic xenophobia? As we patriotically introduce them to the American dream, I hope we can reclaim the values of acceptance and tolerance that our country has always stood for.
Tom Busler
Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

To avoid culture shock at both ends, couldn't a country similar to the Bantus' in culture, language, religion and climate take them in? For the same amount of money that it will cost Americans to relocate and rehabilitate these unfortunate people, the Bantus could receive excellent care, good education and job training, comfortable accommodations and a lot less culture shock. The best way to get off the ground is to slowly and steadily climb the ladder, rather than leap directly to the out- of-sight, possibly unstable, top rung.
Elliot and Elaine Deutsch
Bel Air, Md.

Water, Inc.