The following is a selection of recent letters to the World Socialist Web Site.
On “Tense Iranian election goes into second round”
This is a very perfect analysis of the Iranian polls. The result of the polls was really surprising and will definitely intensify the political crisis in Iran. Rafsanjani’s failure in winning absolute majority was extremely unexpected and more surprising is the emergence of unknown Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who has drawn support from the most impoverished and oppressed layers of society. He has managed to mobilize the most deprived urban social layers. Readers would be waiting for a similar analysis from both of you on the second round. I agree that Khatami has proved bankrupt politically.
MA
Karachi, Pakistan
23 June 2005
On “Florida Governor Jeb Bush renews persecution of Michael Schiavo”
Where in all of the religious rhetoric does it say for people to interfere in the most private aspects of each other’s lives? Do we not have anything better to do in this life than to tell each other who we can love or when and how we can die? This was a matter that had been visited by numerous doctors and been dragged through numerous courts. It had no business being aired in public.
It was mentioned that Terri was bulimic. It seems that it may have been an electrolyte imbalance (sometimes caused by dehydration from vomiting) that triggered her catastrophic event that led to brain damage. Has anyone mentioned that this is generally a condition that begins as a teenager? Could it be that there was guilty conscience involved in the Schindler family’s failure to get her mental health intervention when her disorder began? If it was mentioned, I never saw it. All that the press covered were the accusations of the family of abuse and bad motives for wanting to kill their child. Whatever happened to a balanced press? Or to common decency?
KP
24 June 2005
On “Durbin’s tearful apology: Democrats make cowardly retreat on Guantánamo torture”
Durbin’s whimpering mea culpa reminded me of nothing so much as the groveling speeches and recantations of Stalinist-era “enemies of the people” who had been “rehabilitated.” But there is one difference: Those who “recanted” in the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union probably had better reasons for doing so, such as threats against the lives of their spouses and children. And here Durbin and the Democrats do the same because someone called them a name and threatened to stop inviting them to dinners at the White House! Pathetic!
People like Durbin and his fellow Democrats are worse than useless. They actually manage to give more power to the Republicans and their mad agenda.
CZ
San Francisco
24 June 2005
On “White House aide Karl Rove witch-hunts Iraq war opponents”
Karl Rove said people who oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan put American troops in peril. I’d like to point out to Mr. Rove that it was the Bush administration who put the troops in peril by forcing them into unnecessary wars of aggression. Such wars are completely alien to the spirit of America held by most people, i.e., they’re un-American.
AH
Aurora, Illinois
25 June 2005
On “Nanotechnology and the treatment of cancer”
I was very impressed with the precision and detail of your article on cancer treatment via nanotechnology. However, I wanted to communicate the frustration I feel reading about the amazing potential of medical nanotechnology while even the most basic medical treatments are currently rationed out along class lines. Considering the economic disaster we are being herded toward by the international economic elite, it seems likely that most working class and poor cancer patients will never benefit from such advances. It kills me to think my kids could die from cancer while some wealthy scum like Cheney may have access to nanotechnology.
KC
25 June 2005
On “Ringleader in 1964 civil rights murders convicted of manslaughter”
Excellent analysis! Thanks for this explanation as to why racism and other oppressive behaviour continue in these so-called democratic societies.
PA
London, England
23 June 2005
On “Supreme Court upholds government land grabs for developers”
I especially like the comment about liberals and the ruling elite. It reflects the differences between Republican and Democrats. They argue from time to time but come together on foreign policy and capitalism generally.
GC
Detroit
28 June 2005
On “Washington in crisis over opposition to Iraq war”
It is refreshing to read such a clear analysis of our present situation. What is depressing is to think about the number of years that will pass before the political lies and obfuscation wither away and the judgment of posterity vindicates your observations. Thanks, Bill, keep on writing, we need you.
RV
Santa Barbara, California
28 June 2005
On “New signs of discontent in the military: ‘Stop-loss’ orders prevent soldiers from leaving US Army”
I just recently read your article about the stop-loss and the military. In there you mention the military and bonuses: “A bonus program designed to encourage reenlistment took effect on January 1. The army is offering bonuses of up to $10,000 to soldiers in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan if they agree to reenlist for three years or more. The military brass are clearly worried about drops in enlistment and reenlistment as the Iraq quagmire deepens.”
The reason retention is so low and they have to stop-loss soldiers is because they are liars and no one will reenlist, even for the bonus. I reenlisted for the three years requirement, and never saw one cent of that damn bonus! No one will help. The military says, “too bad.”
What are my rights? Now they are sending me to Iraq for yet another year, in a unit that I am not supposed to be with in the first place!
BB
28 June 2005
On the Democratic Party and September 11
I find it troublesome that the Democrats are so proud of giving Bush a blank check to invade whomever after the September 11 attacks. Only congress has the right to declare war. Why did they give that up? What bothers me the most is the eagerness to go to war with someone, anyone, just so we could get revenge. The people who crashed the planes were obviously dead (even though a passport or two managed to survive). Most of them were Saudis. Why didn’t we attack Saudi Arabia? Were all those people killed in Afghanistan complicit in the 9/11 attack? Hell, were any of them complicit in the attack?
The eagerness to go to war is appalling. Tens of thousands of people have died, tens of thousands more have been wounded, and I don’t see where any of it has anything to do with the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. Actually, the terrorist attack looks like some of the plans I have read in declassified documents about how the US government tried to make Cuba look like a terrorist country. Fake hijackings, changing planes, using drones. This is not my fantasy. It is in the government’s own documents. I am tired of people saying that going to war with Afghanistan was right but only Iraq was wrong. Both “wars” were and are wrong.
MS
25 June 2005