Israel's bombing is act of aggression, not defense

Charles Krauthammer's July 29 column "Criticism of 'Disproportionate Israeli Response' Is Morally Bankrupt" oozes with fallacy. Attempting to compare the current crisis between Lebanon and Israel to World War II is truly insane. Japanese airplanes flying halfway across the Pacific Ocean to attack Pearl Harbor is simply incomparable to Hezbollah. The Pearl Harbor attack caused the death of 2,400 servicemen and was part of Japan's plans to control the Pacific Ocean. Hezbollah captured two Israel soldiers; it was hardly an "act of war."

The Bush administration has been unconditionally supporting Israel's right to "protect itself" from this so-called "act of war." Hezbollah's actions were its own, not an act of the Lebanese government. Israel bombing innocent Lebanese civilians and destroying the infrastructure are severe and disproportionate acts of aggression, not protection. There are at least 500 dead Lebanese civilians and 750,000 refugees.

The Bush administration believes that two wrongs (Israeli bombing in response to Hezbollah capturing) make a right. Rather than calling for a cease-fire to bring an end to destruction of life, President Bush contradicted himself by basically saying, "We regret the loss of innocent lives, but Israel, keep on bombing while Hezbollah is firing those rockets." Then he spewed rhetoric of an "opportunity for broader change in the region." After the colossal blunder in Iraq, it is an atrocity that the United States did not call for an immediate cease-fire. Maybe Mr. Bush's goal is to leave another Mideast country in shambles.

DAMIAN GEORGE
Beechview

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Disrespect for U.N.

The Robert Ariail editorial cartoon you published on July 27 is obviously intended to depict the inability of the United Nations to control the current crisis in the Middle East.

Mr. Ariail depicts autos representing Israel and Hezbollah running amok around a U.N. traffic officer. But why does he exclude all the other nations of the world traveling their own selected routes and speeds equally ignoring the United Nations? A much larger view might also include Sudan, Iran, North Korea, Ethiopia, and many others, including our United States.

It is difficult to find any nation consistently working in cooperation with the United Nations. We ourselves, the United States, have been one of the more frequent offenders and less than a continuing financial supporter. We seem to prefer to go it alone, or build our own more suitable coalitions.

I wonder if our position would be different if we were less powerful. I have always heard that the purpose of power is to serve and the United States has the power to serve the common good of the world much better than our modem history reveals.

A United Nations can work, but only when all nations are willing to be united in the common good of the people. I disagree with a cartoon that depicts only Israel and Hezbollah as those who ignore the United Nations. People in glass houses should not be throwing stones.

BILL PETERS
Mt. Lebanon

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The Cyprus factor

The Mideast crisis highlights the significance of the Republic of Cyprus, confirming its historic friendship and alliance with the United States. It has provided critical assistance to Americans fleeing Lebanon. These actions have received praise by the U.S. administration. Historically, Cyprus has been among the first governments to sign onto counterterrorism and anti-laundering agreements with America.

Cyprus' north, however, remains under occupation by Turkish forces since 1974. Condemned by more U.N. and European Resolutions than it took for the United States to enter into Iraq, Turkey continues to defy international law after its illegal invasion. Cyprus is demographically 80 percent Greek. The Turkish government continues to colonize the north with Muslim Anatolian settlers, eradicating all traces of Christian heritage in the process. Free Cyprus is a solid democracy, recently admitted into the European Union and represents all Cypriots, Christian or Muslim. In contrast, the occupation regime derives its authority from the Turkish military, and there is ample evidence that it permits Islamic terror groups to raise and launder money via a sprawling illegal gambling industry.

The friendly attitude of the Republic of Cyprus must be contrasted with Turkey. Rapidly sinking into the chaos of Islamic fundamentalism with anti-Western and anti-Semitic postures, Turkey is adopting menacing, unfriendly policy resembling those of other Islamist regimes. Unless forced to comply with international law, the occupation regime and its assets will threaten the interests of the United States in the southwest Mediterranean and Israel.

A free Cyprus is in the vital interest of the United States and Israel.

NICK GIANNOUKAKIS
American-Hellenic Affairs
American-Hellenic Educational Progressive Association
Oakland

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The slots illusion

Our governor and legislators wait anxiously in expectation of the impending "goodies" that slot machines hypothetically will produce. (This includes their sneaky snooker --another notch in their greed belt -- to include themselves in the gambling statute, whereby they are permitted to own 1 percent of a casino syndicate stock as their "cut.") May I suggest that while in this ecstatic state they insist casino owners include in their development proposals facilities to treat gambleholics created by these same slot machines.

Furthermore, this redundant Legislature should seriously consider legislating additional judgeships with staff to expedite the added bankruptcies that will result from major losses by slot losers.

The first groundbreaking for constructing a gambling casino will signify complete capitulation by the governor and General Assembly to the gambling lobby. This lobby, once entrenched, will dictate state gaming policy. Our lawmakers would rather prey on those who are powerless to resist gambling -- like alcohol is to an alcoholic -- as the magic potion to alleviate property/school taxes, health care and educational costs along with building sports arenas.

Slots, ludicrously projected to be the panacea for the state's financial woes, will fail. Sophisticated casino table games in neighboring states; a bungling Pennsylvania Legislature and Gaming Control Board; Pennsylvania's stumbling economy and deteriorating worker's wages are some of the reasons slots will not deliver the anticipated revenues.

What will succeed, however, is the creation of one more bloated bureaucracy complete with cronyism, featherbedding, nepotism and waste. What fools these mortals be.

RALPH J. SANTARCANGELO
Point Breeze

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A wise course

In his July 29 letter "Self-righteous Vote," Patrick Ponticel complains that Sen. Rick Santorum doesn't support federal funding of stem-cell research. Mr. Ponticel clearly knows very little about stem-cell research, and reaches some blatantly erroneous conclusions in his letter.

He suggests that embryonic stem cells offer hope to Americans who are suffering from diseases. After years of studying them and billions of dollars invested in the research, embryonic stem cells are not useful in treating a single illness.

Sen. Santorum supports funding for research on adult stem cells, which are now being used to treat at least 70 different diseases and disorders. Research on adult stem cells also avoids the moral controversy surrounding the destruction of human embryos for research.

Perhaps after becoming a bit more familiar with the subject of stem-cell research, many Americans, like Mr. Ponticel, will be grateful that Sen. Rick Santorum supports funding for adult stem-cell research, which actually produces results.

BRYCE C. McMINN
Mt. Lebanon

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A logical measure

Regarding the July 25 editorial "On Camera: Employees Being Watched Should Know in Advance": Obviously, the writer of that editorial has never been in a position of experiencing theft of his or her property.

Several years ago, our company's petty cash box was regularly being "relieved" of monies each night. With the approval of our building management, we installed hidden cameras to see who was helping themselves to our petty cash. We caught the guilty party on camera. He was apprehended with marked bills on his person.

The public defender pleaded him "not guilty," but he was found guilty, ordered to provide restitution, placed on probation and ordered to undergo drug rehabilitation.

Now, if we had put up a sign that our petty cash box was under video surveillance, do you honestly think that would have been a more appropriate course of action?

JAMES E. YANNI
McCandless

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Let's deal with the reality of outsourcing in innovative ways

The Aug. 2 Post-Gazette reports state Sen. Sean Logan's reaction to the symposium on outsourcing that was held at the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business ("Pitt's Forum on Outsourcing Angers State Senator"). Outsourcing is a fact of life today in many businesses, whether we like it or not. Businesses use outsourcing for many reasons, including reducing costs or taking advantage of expertise that they do not have. Some of that outsourcing is to firms based offshore.

There are a number of responses that we might have to the outsourcing phenomenon. Creating incentives aimed at keeping jobs in Pennsylvania (misguided or not) is one of them, innovating around outsourcing is another. Sen. Logan has pursued the former approach, and the Katz symposium is an example of the latter.

They are not mutually exclusive. By his reaction, Sen. Logan shows that does not recognize this distinction. Isn't it possible that a regional capability on innovation around outsourcing might be economically valuable? How would we develop such a capability if current and future business leaders cannot discuss it at symposia such as the one hosted by the Katz Graduate School? Unlike Sen. Logan, I think that this was an example of good stewardship of the state's investment in Pitt.

MARTIN WEISS
Murrysville