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Republicans like Noonan just don't get it. In blaming the messenger, Dole, she ignores the fact that it was the message that people didn't like. Dole lost the election before the primaries ever began because of Gingrich's initial mean budget and his shutdown of the government when he couldn't get it past a courageous President. The assault on Medicare lost it for Dole, and the fact that the Democrats won Florida and especially Arizona with their large elderly populations should be a warning to all politicians to leave old people alone! DAN OLIVIER Bullhead City, Arizona
Another four years of grandiloquence is the choice of the American people. What a pity that a pukka gentleman like Bob Dole, who has been remarkably honest and reliable over the past three decades, should fail against someone who merely talks a lot. JOHN SMITH Hong Kong
Noonan asks, "Could any Republican have defeated the Great Conniver?" She answers that she thinks so and goes on to describe this individual. These are easy statements to make without actually identifying one or two of these super-candidates. JOSEPH FARRAH Millbrae, California
TELEPHONE EXTENSIONS
I believe MCI and British Telecom's $21 billion megadeal is only a prelude to global competition in the telecommunications industry [BUSINESS, Nov. 18]. This merger is one of the Big Bangs in the history of a once monopolized market. Because of huge feasibilities, many other companies will follow suit. This trend will absolutely be good for customers, because head-to-head competition will mean lower prices and better customer satisfaction. TAKUYA MORIMOTO Higashiosaka, Japan Via E-mail
BENAZIR BHUTTO OUT AGAIN
My salute to president Farooq Ahmad Kahn Leghari for courageous, politically wise and timely actions in dismissing Benazir Bhutto from office [WORLD, Nov. 18]. With a quick move, he staved off a civil war and possible takeover of the government by the military, thereby preserving whatever is left of democracy. We hope he neutralized any designs by foreign nations to meddle in the internal affairs of Pakistan. We also hope he avoided any showdown with the U.S. government that might prompt sanctions by the Congress concerned over a pretext of derailing the democracy. Ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her family should be thankful to the President for giving them a chance to be heard by the court and by the voters in the near future. Who knows--she may even get a third opportunity to rule and be dismissed. MOHAMMAD HAKEEM KHAN Tampa, Florida
The masses of the only Muslim atomic power in the world are in a miserable condition. Billions of rupees must still be spent on February 1997 elections, further deteriorating their lot. There is no hope for improvement in the near future. TAUFIQ AHMAD MUFTI Peshawar, Pakistan Via E-mail
BIGOTRY AT TEXACO