Quotes of the Day

Revitalizing Japan
I have often thought that my homeland, Japan, needs many more people from other countries to come here and eventually be naturalized as our citizens — to bring diversity to our country [Dec. 17]. I believe that foreigners would provide Japan with more creativity and new ways of thinking. This would produce a new Japan that is globalized to meet the requirements of the coming era.
Nakano Hiroki,
Saitama, Japan

U.S. Intelligence on Iran
Joe Klein's article about the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) report on the Iranian nuclear program and President George W. Bush's response to it was quite disturbing [Dec. 17]. Before the NIE findings, how close did Bush push us into yet another military engagement? When Bush talks about winning in Iraq, what is it that we will have won? Will it be worth our military losses of more than 3,800 Americans killed and thousands more maimed or mentally affected? The NIE report is a reminder of Bush's disconnect with the reality that we Americans are forced to live with.
Phil Wilt,
Van Nuys, Calif., U.S.

I don't think all the republican candidates "had noisily rattled sabers about Iran." I can't even begin to imagine Ron Paul wanting to go to war with Iran. He didn't even want to go to war with Iraq. You did a great disservice to Paul by using such a blanket statement.
Scott Spencer,
Hampton, Va., U.S.

Thanks to Klein for his article's poetic conclusion. Along with Joe Biden's assessment of Bush as possibly "one of the most incompetent Presidents in modern American history," the truth that many of us have known finally wins out. So much for legacy.
Dean Pappas,
Salt Lake City

Klein's story was very dangerous and misleading. No matter what the latest conclusion is from some of the government's analysts, the President of Iran has threatened a U.S. ally with extinction. When Iran becomes a greater threat, perhaps more Americans will finally understand that his pockets may have been empty, but not his armory.
Silas Mariano,
Oceanside, Calif., U.S.

Why the excitement over the latest NIE report? Since Bush hasn't shown any regard for intelligence findings in the past, why should he change now?
Henry Pennymon,
Orlando, Fla., U.S.

A Crash Course in Safety
I couldn't help being amused by Kay Johnson's article "Postcard: Hanoi," which reminded me of my first experience visiting Ho Chi Minh City [Dec. 17]. My entire time there centered on trying to figure out ways to cross the streets with few regulated crosswalks and with often ignored traffic lights. On more than one occasion, I tried to get up the nerve to step out into the oncoming sea of scooters; a kind Vietnamese would take my hand and lead me across, and on the other side, we both would laugh, knowing that for a foreigner, navigating the scooter-packed streets on foot was a major challenge. But I must say it added to my beautiful experience visiting such an amazing country.
Julie H. Clark,
Rising Fawn, Ga., U.S.