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Ahmed, the Iraqi resistance fighter, claimed that all he wants is for Americans to leave his country. If this is really true, all he needs to do is lay down his arms. The Americans will then set up a government that is representative of the Iraqi people and hightail it out of there. SCOTT SOFFEN Ellicott City, Md.
Howard Dean's Style
IN "Hectoring Is Not Leadership," Joe Klein argues that Democratic candidate Howard Dean has not produced "very much creative policy thinking" and that his presidential campaign is all "about process, not ideas" [Nov. 17]. But the way a campaign is conducted contributes to a candidate's ideas and policies should he become President. A candidate supported by small contributions from millions of people has the power to take back the government from special interests. No other Democrat has demonstrated Dean's ability to inspire or innovate. DAVID A. BABBOTT Ojai, Calif.
Klein says Dean is "not very well-spoken." George W. Bush proved it does not take exceptional speaking skills to become President of the U.S. Clearly all it takes is a substantial amount of money. GINA NANNI New York City
If ever there were a time to be outraged, this is it! Klein can say that Dean needs to "stop hectoring and lay out a vision" of understanding for the nation, but I find it heartening that a Democrat has come forward with forceful objections to the unprecedented abuse of power resulting from Bush's policies. DAVID GRANTZ Watson, Okla.
America the Unloved
How refreshing to see an obvious but unacknowledged truth so wonderfully articulated in Charles Krauthammer's piece "To Hell with Sympathy," about the "illusory" sympathy that America earned on 9/11 [Nov. 17]. No matter what we as Americans do or say, there will always be international detractors who will vilify the U.S. The world turns to the U.S. again and again for economic and military assistance, and in response we are berated, mocked and insulted. TRACEY KINNEY West Grove, Pa.
The Bush administration squandered the solidarity the world felt for America after 9/11, and far from the Iraq war's being a show of muscular strength, as Krauthammer would like to believe, it weakened the U.S. After 9/11, we had the attention and cooperation of our allies and even many unfriendly regimes around the globe. Krauthammer may think alliances are for cowards and losers, but people like Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill spoke often of the need to cultivate alliances in the name of security. The fact is, we will never beat terrorism by blowing up other countries. BRANDEN FRANKEL Newport Beach, Calif.
Protecting the Reagan Legacy
Some may claim that CBS pulled the Reagan mini-series because it was biased and offended conservatives [Nov. 17]. But the real reason was that the American people saw the production as a meanspirited parody rather than the docudrama that CBS touted. The Reagan program was canceled because it was an affront to a great, living President and to all Americans. BEN VECCHIO Rustburg, Va.
Musical Revolution