Eastern European Nations Join NATO

After seeing the picture of President Bush welcoming seven new nations into NATO on the front page of Tuesday’s paper, I can’t help wondering: Will we ignore their vote and counsel like we did the United Nations at our first disagreement with them? Our actions in Iraq have hurt us diplomatically and domestically. The current “scandal” about what was known before 9/11 will only reinforce our feelings of fear and keep the military firmly in control.

Holly C. Violins

Needles

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In his White House remarks welcoming the three Baltic states, among others, to the NATO alliance, Bush sought to align them in the cause against terrorists, saying they bring “a moral clarity to the purpose of the alliance” and that “tyranny for them is still a fresh memory.” May I remind the president that the Soviets were given free will in the Baltics in the aftermath of WWII because the United States turned its back on the Estonians, Lithuanians and Latvians, allowing Soviet terrorism to prevail for more than 50 years.

The wrong has finally been righted with this latest step into NATO; hundreds of thousands of native Balts perished and countless others suffered under occupation.

As a child of Estonian emigres, I urge President Bush to think more deeply about the consequences of his policies in Iraq and elsewhere. An occupying force is never welcome anywhere, at any time.

Tiiu Leek

Beverly Hills

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Wal-Mart Supercenter

Re “A Big-Box Ballot Bully,” editorial, Mar. 28: If the city of Inglewood had not unilaterally decided that Wal-Mart could not do business there, Wal-Mart would not have been forced to bypass Inglewood’s unthinking restrictions and bring its case directly to the people. It is certainly important to have an open discussion about how a business will affect the surrounding community, but Inglewood’s elected officials’ instinct was not to discuss but to restrict.

A Wal-Mart supercenter will bring astounding amounts of tax revenue to the city, as well as many good entry-level jobs that pay a fair wage, rather than the over-priced, career bar-code monkeys that are spawned at unionized grocery stores.

Jeff Guidry

Los Alamitos

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The Great Peter Ustinov

I should be mourning the death of Peter Ustinov (obituary, March 30) but instead am convulsed by his laugh-out-loud humor featured in your tribute. Also, in addition to the films mentioned, might I recommend “The Sundowners,” with Ustinov playing a charming nomad who is befriended by the likes of Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr?

As for his delightful published works, last month I sent a copy of the 1987 travel book “Ustinov in Russia,” featuring the actor’s commentary, photographs and line drawings, to a friend living in Yalta. “Of course, Ustinov is gorgeous!” was Vladimir’s recent reply, to which I respond, “Da, and amen!”

Janet Whitcomb

Rancho Santa Margarita

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Healthcare for All

“An Inside Look at a Health Crisis” (March 28) is one of the most important issues facing us today here in the U.S. There is almost no civilized country in the world where everyone is not under medical protection. To allow unnecessary sickness and physical ailments to exist here is not indicative of our current medical abilities, and must not be allowed to continue.

The time has come now to create laws that include everyone in healthcare -- all. It is not socialism. It is humanism.

David Saxon

Sherman Oaks