Terrorism Reaches Beyond the Taliban

Re “U.S. Launches Attack,” Oct. 8: It is all well and good that a broad international coalition has begun military strikes against the Taliban regime; it is a disgrace to humankind and nobody should mourn its passing. But Afghanistan is a relatively low-risk target, once overflight rights have been secured from its neighbors. Effectively rooting out terrorists and their sponsors requires far, far more: going after, among others, Iran, Iraq, Syria (which sponsors the Hezbollah in Lebanon) and Egypt, from whose mosques, weekly, spews the most virulent anti-Semitic and anti-Western rhetoric.

At the same time, we in America need to look in the mirror and wonder why we have for so long supported repressive, right-wing governments around the world, a policy that certainly contributed to the hatred and alienation that fuels the terrorist mind. Given the difficulties and our short, self-consumed attention span, don’t expect much beyond Afghanistan, and don’t expect an end to terror.

Henry J. Silverman

Los Angeles

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History teaches us that whenever we answer violence with violence there is only one result: more death and destruction. Peace cannot be the result of violence. I hope we will learn from history and not continue to repeat past mistakes.

The roots of terrorism are poverty, ignorance and oppression. I hope we will turn from violence and treat the roots of terrorism instead. Ending poverty, ignorance and oppression will end the power of dictators and terrorist leaders everywhere.

James B. Peter Jr.

Santa Monica

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It is really sad to read letters from people talking about how we’re sinking down to the terrorists’ level (Oct. 8). Are these people really so naive as to think that if we didn’t take action the terrorists would not build up weapons and armies to continue to do the things they have been doing?

Jason Allen

Santa Clarita

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After seeing the Osama bin Laden videotape and hearing him say that I was filled with fear after the Sept. 11 attacks, I calmly went out and had lunch. And I did so without fear. I came home to watch thousands of people in football stadiums cheering for their favorite teams without any fear. I realized that Bin Laden and his followers failed. I realized that Bin Laden himself is a coward. If he truly believed in what he was doing, he would have been on one of those planes himself instead of brainwashing others to do his tasks. He is the leader of a cowardice movement that has no purpose.

I wonder if Bin Laden thinks that America is full of fear now? I know that I am not. I look forward to seeing America’s response. Mr. Bin Laden, the U.S. is coming for you, and you will feel fear.

Mike McFatridge

South Pasadena

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Re “Along With Bombs, U.S. Drops Rations,” Oct. 8: We are now engaged in a complicated war, in a complicated part of the world, with complicated friends and foes. The United States has decided to include humanitarian aid in the form of food rations as part of its program to win the minds and hearts of Afghan citizens. My question to our government is, why are these packages labeled in three languages (Spanish, English and French), none of which are spoken in the region, and not in Arabic?

Esther Youtan

Tarzana

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I kept hearing for weeks about how this was a “new kind of war,” that was going to be fought in a “new kind of way.” Now we’ve gone ahead and done the same thing we always do. What’s new? The K-rations? We have, of course, given the terrorists exactly what they wanted. What was the alternative?

Until Sunday, I thought we had a rather innovative strategy going: building new coalitions, putting out for international discussion larger questions of human rights and democracy, increasing security, arresting suspects, revitalizing intelligence, casting a sort of net around the guilty parties and driving them crazy guessing our next move. This “implosion of the terrorist network” we keep hearing about could have worked. It could have been actually expedient.

It’s time to say it out loud: “Realpolitik,” and all its military gymnastics, is so last century.

Katy Hickman

Eagle Rock

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Dear President Bush: Please drop some gas masks over here in L.A. after you feed the Afghans. The kind that work. And maybe some leaflets with some kind of coordinated plans that our city leaders should have already discussed with us. We will wait our turn. Thank you.

Berkeley Cook

Santa Monica