December/January 1992/93, Page 5, 6, 90

Letters to (and from) the Editors

Kuwait: POWs and MIAs

I am a Kuwaiti citizen who has lived in the United States for 11 years while I was a student. I obtained my Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Miami (Florida) in 1988. After that, I returned to Kuwait and resumed my work at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, in the Oceanography Program, until the devastating crisis of Aug. 2, 1990. As a result of the Gulf conflict, my brother, my two brothers-in-law, my immediate cousin and many other relatives and friends have been taken as hostages and detainees or, as the media refers to them, prisoners of war.

All my immediate relatives who now are hostages are civilians who were picked up by the Iraqi army with no real charges against them except for being Kuwaitis who "happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time." More than two years have passed since they were taken away in September 1990. There is no information on their whereabouts or their status.

The latest survey indicates that there are 850 POWs who were taken from Kuwait during the Gulf conflict, of which 722 are Kuwaitis. We families of the POWs have tried many different avenues, and contacted all concerned and relevant national, regional and international organizations, but to no avail. The Kuwaiti government has been trying in vain for the last year to secure the release of all the detainees. The Red Cross is helpless in dealing with Iraq, and has indicated that it has no authority to search the prisons or political camps. The U.N. is exerting great effort on all fronts except for POWs from Kuwait. When the rights of a few are violated, the rights of all are threatened. These POWs, even though they are prisoners under Saddam's regime, have rights!

The new world order has brought a new beginning to millions, and has given hope to many who still live under ruthless or inhumane regimes. We need to stop using humans as detainees and hostages and the environment as a bargaining chip in any future conflict by demanding firm adherence to the humanitarian laws of the Geneva Convention.

We, as families of the Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti civilian detainees and POWs, thank you for all your efforts and understanding during the Gulf conflict, and would appreciate it very much if you could our message as a plea for help. We highly respect you and regard you as a representative of a country that always believed in human rights and paid very highly for it. We would welcome any practical strategies to secure the release of our civilian detainees and POWs.

We wish you and the American people the best of luck, and we support the outcome of your election and your elected government because you all stand for freedom, security, a better life, prosperity and a peaceful world. Best regards on behalf of all the POWs' families.

—Faiza Yousef, Kuwait

We want to help in any way we can, and therefore invite constructive suggestions from our readers who, we are sure, are eager to spare your country, and the families involved, the grief, uncertainly and agony so familiar to Americans as a result of our own POW/MIA and hostage traumas.

Disappointing Coverage of Poliario

As a U. S. resident originally from Western Sahara and a subscriber to your magazine, I must say that your articles "North Africa at Risk as Western Sahara Peace Plan Stalls" and "Moroccan POWs: More Forgotten Hostages," appearing in the August/September issue of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs were quite disappointing.

Aside from a number of errors, the allegation that Polisario is holding hostages is outrageous and simply untrue, as it implies that the Polisario Front is a terrorist organization. One of the facts that gave Polisario credibility as a nationalist organization is that it never committed an act of terrorism, neither in Morocco nor in any other country. The prisoners being held by Polisario were taken on the battlefield in Western Sahara during the many skirmishes and battles between the forces of the Polisario Front and those of the Kingdom of Morocco.

We would like to request the opportunity to correct the record by writing an article for your magazine. For your information, the Sahara Fund, Inc. is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c) (3) public foundation. The Sahara Fund, Inc. is organized and operates exclusively for charitable, educational, cultural, and research purposes regarding Saharan Africa.

—Ahmed A. Cherif, Vice President, Sahara Fund, Inc., Washington, DC

We think your problem is a misunderstanding of our use of ''hostages'' in the headline. The writers of the article made it clear that the Moroccans being held by Polisario forces are prisoners of war, captured on the battlefield, although they include medical personnel. The fact that some have been held as long as 10 years, without an exchange or repatriation, however, certainly makes them "hostages" to the politicians on one or both sides. Such leaders seem to us to be extraordinarily cruel and inhumane to ruin the lives of these prisoners and their families for some fancied political advantage which, in the long run, probably will have no bearing whatsoever on the shape of the final settlement.

So we'll stand on our use of the word ''hostages ''for military prisoners accused of no war crimes but still incarcerated years after the shooting, for all practical purposes, has stopped. We were equally critical of a similar situation after the end of the long Iran-Iraq war, and believe that our attention may have helped some of the prisoners on both sides finally to return to their families. In that case, too, the long-delayed final repatriation had no bearing whatsoever on the political and military outcome. You are welcome to submit an article of your own to compete for our limited space, but first read the three on the subject starting on page 44 of this issue, and a fourth in the U.N. column on page 38.

U.S. Taxation Without Information

Your story on the massive types of aid to Israel from the United States (Frank Collins, "What Does Israel Cost U.S. Taxpayers?, " June 1992) should be circulated to millions of Americans who have been deprived of such information because of the power, usually indirect or furtive, of the Israeli lobbies in the United States. Since the end of the Cold War, these lobbies have been frantically searching for a new rationale for such aid, apparently settling with the spurious name of "common values."

In a time of deepening recession in this country, hurting in diverse ways millions of Americans who could benefit if the money spent on Israel were channeled to their acute needs, the issue of aid to Israel becomes ludicrous. It was not even mentioned in the two national political party conventions in New York and Houston.

In contrast to the slogan of "taxation without representation'' in the American Revolutionary period, this abuse of the American taxpayer may be summed up as "taxation without information."

—Robert Lyon, Professor Emeritus, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

Zionist Influence Results From Hard Work

I'm afraid that Lucille Barnes holds a naive and simplistic view of the Zionists' role in American politics. For her—or anyone else—to contend that "the nationwide clout of America's pro-Israel community comes not primarily from votes but from . . . funding" is misleading.

American hard-line Zionists command political clout for three reasons: 1. political participation and power; 2. money; and 3. the perception of unity.

It has been said that local politics represent the only politics. It is mostly Zionist professionals who invest the time and energy to become the county, town, city and other local political leaders or who gain enough power to choose the leaders. However limited in numbers, it is pro-Zionist voters who vote in the all-important primaries who magnify this political clout.

Other ethnic groups, e.g. Italians, Germans or British, usually heavily outnumber them, but these groups traditionally do not invest time, energy, and money in politics, nor are they driven by the guiding vision of a Zionist Israel. Experience leads me to say that even without contributing much money, the Zionists will remain dominant, absent a vastly expanded investment of time, energy and political sophistication by other individuals or ethnic groups.

—Mitchell Kaidy, Rochester, NY

We don't really see much difference in what you are saying and what Lucille Barnes and the editors of this magazine have said. We suspect, in fact, you 're irked at the Arab-American community for remaining divided and apathetic in an election which directly affected U.S. Mideast policy, while Jewish Americans cast 85 percent of their votes for the same presidential candidate.

Upset Over the Elections

I've just finished watching the election returns around the country (it's around 3:30 a.m.), and I'm very upset. One very common theme in the Northeast results is that pro-Israeli candidates won, regardless of previous scandal, party affiliation, or other strong reasons for potential defeat. Specifically, President Bush lost in this region, but pro-Israeli Republican senators D'Amato and Specter won. News commentators on PBS mentioned that, in California, Jewish voters have an influence many times the percentage of population because of financial contributions (and organization).

The reason I'm writing is that I hope we can turn these defeats into a wake-up call. You are a wonderful source of information for hundreds of thousands of individuals, and a catalyst for an unorganized community—in your words, "a sleeping giant. " Can you please list Muslim and Arab political organizations, how to get in contact with them, and the major issues they stand for? I would love to help, but I'm not sure whom to contact, or how. I eagerly await each issue of the Washington Report. Keep up the good work!

—A long-time Washington Report fan

It is irksome when we receive unsigned letters (or in this case, faxes), but what you say bears examination. First, not all candidates supported by pro-Israel PAG won, but a lot did. Had the "sleeping giant" opened at least one eye, more would have lost. We do try to keep readers informed of activities by Arab-American and Muslim-American groups, particularly via the ' 'Arab-American Activism " and "Waging Peace " columns. For ways to make the giant more effective, see "Publishers' Page."

My Side's Wide Awake!

I read your ad in the Dallas Morning News regarding congressional candidates who take pro-Israel PAC funds. I really appreciate that list, as I will be sure to vote for as many of them as I can. Thank you—it was very helpful. Yours for peace and less Arabic violence.

—Dr. Herbert Kresh, Dallas, TX

Your letter shows that not everyone's asleep. In any case, we 're here to help whoever knows how to use the facts. We plan to make it possible for our readers to prepare ''do it yourself "advertisements like the one you saw (and secretly hated despite your words) every two years, listing candidates for Congress who have taken Middle East related PAC funds in that election cycle, plus their career totals. Because they are ' 'do it yourself, " we generally learn about them when readers ask us to prepare the ''camera-ready copy" for newspapers of their choice, when the newspapers call us for verification of the facts or, since many of the ads list our address, verification that they are placed with our approval. At this point we are aware of upwards of 20placed in major metropolitan newspapers including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times and the Los Angeles Times. The latter brought us a particularly good response in terms of new subscribers. We thank all associated with these efforts, which may make some of the new members of Congress think twice before accepting the help of these special-interest PAG, particularly the pro-Israel PAG who require that, to get the campaign money, members of Congress continue to vote to give huge quantities of U. S. taxpayer money to Israel.

Jordanian Delegate Speaks

On Sept. 21, Jordanian delegate to the Middle East peace talks Musa Breizet spoke at the United Methodist Church here as part of a three-day tour of workshops at Bemidji State University and various church and peace groups in the area. He was an effective speaker, although sometimes he made assumptions about the audience's knowledge of the area that were a little generous. For example, one elderly woman went up to a Japanese-American visiting from Hawaii and asked him if he was the speaker from Jordan.

You may be pleased to know, however, that, as he spoke, Mr. Breizat was clutching your latest issue as though it were a Bible. You can be sure that your work is making a difference.

—Jane D'Albani, Bemidji, MN

We had the pleasure around the time your letter was written of proceeding directly from a conference with an Israeli civil rights lawyer, who remarked that among her associates "everyone reads your magazine, " to a public talk in Washington, DC by an American Protestant cleric stationed in Jerusalem, who modestly prefaced his remarks by explaining that everything he was about to say came directly from the pages of the Washington Report. Someday, when we have the kind of readership here that we are developing over there, maybe things will change.

Informed Americans Do Right

I eagerly await every issue of the Washington Report and read it at once! It is my prime source of information on events in the Middle East. You always revive my faltering hopes that the Palestinian people will achieve their goals. I am heartened by the idealism that animates the Report and by the wonderful letters from readers who show that we Americans, when informed, do support with compassion and understanding the struggle of an oppressed people for freedom and justice.

—Michael Habermann, Hackettstown, NJ

I've Grown Up With You

I began reading the Washington Report toward the end of my years in high school because I chose international relations as my major for college. My progression toward actually reading it in its entirety began in what I like to call "elapsations." First, I would get the magazine in the mail and toss it on the coffee table for my parents. As time elapsed, I would then look at the pictures in the magazine when I was bored. As more months elapsed, I forced myself to pick up your magazine, prepared to read boring articles like the ones I painstakingly read in other magazines. But, God have mercy, I found myself unable to tear myself away from the magazine, and read it in its entirety. Now, as a 21-year-old, I anxiously await your magazine's arrival, and never toss it on the coffee table unread. Yours is no doubt the most honest, interesting, informative and unbiased magazine in print. What more could a reader ask, except maybe a copy of Stealth PACs. Thanks.

—(Ms.) Anayat Hasan, Vacaville, CA

It's permissible to put your Stealth PACs on the coffee table, briefly, between chapters.

Meticulous Details That Confound

It is vitally important that the major events of the Middle East conflict, particularly the Palestinian-Israeli crisis, be documented in a manner that average American citizens can understand. The Washington Report fulfills that need; meticulous details that characterize scholarly journals frighten and confound most readers.

The propensity for AIPAC and pro-Israel citizens in both the United States and Israel to rewrite history to fulfill the aims and desires of Zionist Israel is alarmingly successful.

But, with time, truth inevitably will surface, just as the Berlin Wall fell and Communism collapsed. And at that time, historical facts must be readily available via the Washington Report.

Benjamin Franklin described the futility of fallaciousness when he said, "In short, I believe it is impossible for a man, though he has all the cunning of a devil, to live and die a villain, and yet conceal it so well as to carry the name of an honest fellow to his grave with him, but someone, by some accident or other, shall discover him. Truth and sincerity have a certain distinguishing native luster about them which cannot be perfectly counterfeited; they are like fire and flame, that cannot be painted."

As an example, consider the $10 billion loan guarantee. At the outset, justification of the guarantee was based on humanitarian treatment of Soviet Jews—the cost of moving those unfortunate people to Israel. Now the basic justification advanced by Israel and AIPAC is to support Israel's economy during its promised transition to a free market.

Through media control and public relations techniques the new version will become dogma in the minds of most Americans, and at the same time the taxpayers will not be made aware of the cost. But at some future date, the reality of this and countless other major manipulations of history will cast grave doubt about both Israel's integrity and ethics, and Israel will be the ultimate loser.

—Frank F. Espey, M.D. Greenville, SC

P.S. Sooner or later and in some way or another, it will be necessary to index the wealth of information that graces the Washington Report. On too many occasions I have spent hours trying to retrieve valuable information located deep in the bowels of the Washington Report.

We're frantic about indexing now. We've had some professionals volunteer to do it at no cost, but circumstances intervened. We'll look at next year's budget to see if we can hire someone to do it—if there is a next year for us, which still is not certain.

You Are Appreciated

I would like to convey my deepest appreciation for the positive contribution your magazine is making by successfully informing the American public and readers about the Near East.

I am a Palestinian-American journalist. I was educated in the United States, and graduated from Cleveland State University. I have worked throughout my adult life in trying to educate the North American public and other institutions about the degree of biased pro-Israeli reporting that is taking place in everyday news reporting. Until the day I was introduced to the Washington Report, I had lost hope in trying to find a decent newspaper or magazine that would publish true, unbiased information about my homeland.

—Samer M. Renno, Chairman, Political Leadership Mobilization Council. Middleburg Heights, OH

"Editorial of the Day"

Yours is an excellent publication. I photocopy pages and send them around. Up until August I had a store on Beacon Hill near the State House. I put copies of your articles in my window for all to read—our "Editorial of the Day" window. Most liked it, some hated it. I can't wait to open my next store!

L.T. May, Cambridge, MA

The Balance We Need

Your consistently informative magazine lessens my sense of isolation as an American sympathetic to the concerns and struggles of the Palestinian people and to the challenges faced by Arabs in the Middle East and around the world. The "Bethlehem Bulletin" is especially effective, as is your book catalog. Your coverage of Israel is an important balance to the mainstream press.

—Sharon Doerre, Austin, TX

Some Information, Please

I would like more information on two among many fascinating articles in the Washington Report. One was the book review on Israel and the New World Order, by Andrew J. Hurley, in the June issue, which referred to his call for readers to bring a draft resolution calling for the implementation of Resolution 181 to the U.N. Security Council. This sounds like a marvelous idea. How, can readers participate in such action?

The other article was in the Aug./Sept. issue, "Albuquerque Billboards Blast Aid to Israel." I would like the address of the New Mexico Taxpayers for a Better America, so I can write to find out how they organized their group.

Theirs is perhaps an unprecedented and fantastic effort. It's amazing they were successful and the billboard survived. It is an example to all of us who are frustrated and disgusted with an unjust Middle East policy and angry over the pro-Israeli stranglehold on Congress, government and the media.

—Beverly J. Swartz, Sarasota, FL

We’ll ask Andrew Hurley to respond in a future issue to your first question. The address of the New Mexico group, changed from that presented with the original article, is at the bottom of the following letter from that group. We think the billboard idea has tremendous potential for going right around the thought controllers on virtually every daily news paper and television station in America, which are closed by owner or editor bias, advertising pressure, or all three factors to any serious criticism of Israel, its American apologists, or unrestricted U.S. aid to Israel.

New Mexican Taxpayers

New Mexico Taxpayers for a Better America was gratified to find one of its billboards advocating abolition of the Cranston Amendment pictured and discussed in the August/September issue of the Washington Report. As a consequence of the publication we have received, and will welcome any other, inquiries as to our efforts.

However, I believe that the article (and the further discussion under "Letters" on page 88 of that issue) understates the provisions of Senator Cranston's handiwork when it credits the amendment with directing Congress to cover only "the interest payments owed by Israel to the United States on outstanding loans."

The operative portion of the Cranston Amendment, Sec. 529, Economic Support Fund Assistance for Israel, reads (emphasis provided):

"Therefore, the Congress declares that it is the policy and the intention of the United States that the funds provided in annual appropriations for the Economic Support Fund which are allocated to Israel shall not be less than the annual debt repayment (interest and principal) from Israel to the United States Government. . ."

Perhaps you could publish this clarification so that your readers may fully and accurately comprehend Senator Cranston's extraordinary generosity toward the State of Israel. Thank you for your efforts in producing a journal of such unfailing quality and value to those with a serious interest in Middle East affairs. It is a source of daily reference and, often, inspiration.

—George E. Luecker, 6028 Vista Campo Rd., NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

Offering Balanced Views

As a practicing Muslim I expect only the truth to be published; not conjectures, theories and hypotheses. We are bombarded with news. I like your way of filling in the gaps. The American news media is biased to one country in the Middle East. I don't like exaggeration or hyperbole. Your magazine represents balanced viewpoints. Keep up the good work.

—S.E. Karam, Austin, TX

Just Have to Look

 I dread the arrival of the Washington Report because I know it will make me feel helpless and angry about Israel's control of the American press and government. But like a car accident, I just have to look.

—Lawrence Helm, Belfair, WA

Truthful Reporting

I find the Washington Report an indispensable guide to truthful reporting on a location of the world so far away, yet so important to all of us. I anticipate each issue gleefully because it gives hope. I love it!

—Bill Crouch, Hopkins, MN

Taking Issue With the Orthodox View Presented

We have been avid readers of the Washington Report since the first issue we received, and have followed eagerly your increasing coverage of the richness and diversity of the Muslim world. It is thus with some concern that we read in the August/ September 1992 issue, presented in the place of the orthodox view, a rambling tirade that displays the radical xenophobia so eagerly touted by the Zionist media as "Islamic Fundamentalism." This harms my people.

Enclosed is "A Political Process for Muslim America, " which you may find helpful in gaining a perspective on what you receive from dogmatic elitists who misrepresent Islam and distort the religion of Abraham. Hopefully it will clarify, rather than obscure. We will be happy to mail it to your readers who write us, with the caveat that although such mailings cost us less than a dollar, they will still have to proceed in pace with our means.

America's Christian Zionists certainly have their analogues among the Muslims—but these intolerant pretenders no more represent God's Mercy for Humanity than Shamir represents the Torah: It ill serves the Washington Report and its readers to offer this demagoguery as representative. We are persuaded that you simply have not yet encountered the limitless and enduring wealth that is Islamic Fundamentalism.

—Sheikh Dawud Ahmad Al-Amriki, Muslim America, Inc., P.O. Box 5098, Olympia, WA 98503-0197

From reading your enclosure, we assume your objection is to one of the "Three Views" responding to the question, "Can Muslim Participation in the U. S. Political System Make a Difference ? " Because we think it can indeed make a difference on such issues as self-determination for the Palestinians and self-determination for the Kashmiris, by neutralizing any group with a vested interest in a contrary program, we, too, were disappointed in that one response but somewhat heartened by the other two. We were greatly heartened by your own submission, which you invite readers to request directly from you at the address above. Finally, we promise you that while we undoubtedly will continue to print "tirades, " they will never ramble. And, much as we would like to pretend that all who call themselves Muslims, Christians and Jews are as tolerant as you are, and we hope we are, that is not the whole truth. You have your work cut out for you in your own community just as all of our readers have in their communities. If we present "three Muslim views, " as we did, we can 't pretend there is unanimity where there is not. There are other "fundamentalists " who do live up to the negative Western stereotype. We hear from them all the time, and occasionally print one of their "tirades. " We can only wish you success in demonstrating that the great majority of Muslims today, whatever they call themselves, embrace the tolerance of the Prophet Muhammad and his early followers, and not the intolerance exhibited by the new breed of "fundamentalists" riding high in Tehran and striving for power in Egypt, who misrepresent the tenets of all three Abrahamic religions to justify aggression and abuses of human rights.

David Steiner's Resignation

Former AIPAC President David Steiner very probably lies when he says he lied. Indeed, chances are good that AIPAC did get an extra billion dollars into Israel unbeknownst to the American taxpayer and that AIPAC is having a big influence on Clinton's choice of a secretary of state. So why did Steiner quickly resign as president of AIPAC? Probably because the tape indicates he and AIPAC were breaking the law, and can thereby be denied their status and tax advantages as a lobbying group.

Thomas Friedman backs into the story without doing much of any research on it on his own part. Nobody is mentioned except Steiner, and the "goodies" to Israel aren't itemized. The story is buried at the bottom of page 7 in the Midwestern edition of The New York Times. So here is where the Washington Report should step in. This is the smoking gun for minimizing the influence of AIPAC on the new Clinton administration. Please do the necessary research, and, if you can, publish on your own as much of the Steiner tapes as possible.

—Mike Jayne, Kalamazoo, MI

Good ideas. See page 71 for the story and page 13 for the transcript of the tape.

A Wish for Growth

The Washington Report presents the most honest and balanced Middle East reportage available. My hope is for an immense growth in your readership in order to counter the fear exhibited in the American news media to report objectively Middle East news and the power of AIPAC influence on the legislative and executive branches of our government.

—Robert L. Anastasia, Claremont, CA

A Different School of Thought

I belong to a different school of thought than you concerning why the U.S. supports Zionism. In my view, this is for the same reason the U.S. supports so many other racist and reactionary forces in the world. Hence, I'm bored with your fixation with AIPAC. However, the magazine is an excellent source of information about many aspects of the Middle East. Also, while I agree with Youssef Hitti that we do no favor to the Middle East by avoiding criticizing repressive Arab regimes, we can find that in other publications.

—John Habeeb Hurley, Cambridge, MA

The Kid Gloves Approach

In my opinion the Washington Report is an adequate publication, though I feel it is sometimes too soft on Israel and takes a "kid gloves" approach to dealing with that country. I would like more Arab viewpoints, and more information on how we, the people, can change U.S. favoritism toward Israel and forge a more evenhanded Mideast policy.

John Stich, Slidell, LA

What About Pen Pals?

I am a new subscriber to the Washington Report and am most excited about my subscription. I propose that you have a column for pen-friends—between Americans and residents of the Middle East, especially Palestine and Lebanon. Then your subscribers would be able to exchange ideas and words of encouragement with residents of the Middle East.

If you are unable to establish such a column in the Washington Report, then perhaps you could direct me to organizations in Palestine that might be interested in having names of people in the U.S. for pen-friendships and correspondence. Thanks and keep up your excellent work!!

Volodya Korolev, Ewa Beach, HI

OK, readers, if you 're interested in a pen pal tell us your name, address, interests and concerns, and what countries interest you. We'll see what happens and, if we're contacted by an organization in Palestine that facilitates such correspondence, we'll let our readers know about it. Thanks for an interesting idea.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Your magazine is a breath of fresh air. It truly hits at the core of the events occurring throughout the Muslim world. Whereas most of the news I get from local and national publications and news shows is extremely biased against Islam, your publication is quite honest and educational.

I was concerned with comments made by Sheikh Ahmad Kaftaro, the Grand Mufti of Damascus, that appeared in your March 1992 issue. He said in the interview with Ian Williams that "Syria is a 100 percent Christian country: 'I am a Christian,' he explains. 'There is no difference. The verses of the Qur'an proclaim that. Every Muslim must first believe in the mission of Jesus Christ and his glory—so I am a Christian first of all. "'

I am not a mufti, an alim, or a sheikh, but I am an educated person and have studied the Bible, the Holy Qur'an, and the Hadith enough to know that there is something wrong with what Sheikh Ahmad said.

The Sheikh was correct in saying that anyone who proclaims to be a Muslim must believe in the mission of Jesus. But, for that fact, we must also believe in the message given by all of the other Prophets, including Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Noah, and the list continues. So does this mean that Muslims are Jews because they believe in the message of Prophet Moses? Is Syria then a 100 percent Jewish nation?

Absolutely not! The same goes for Prophet Jesus. It does not mean that Muslims are Christians.

I commend the Sheikh for his outspokenness about Muslim women's rights and his efforts to increase education for the role that Muslims should take in environmental issues. However, I did not want your readers to think that Muslims should consider themselves Christians, when it does not make logical sense.

—Ahmad Abdullah, Lincoln, NE

We expected letters in response to that statement by Sheikh Ahmad Kaftaro, including perhaps one from him. Yours can speak for others with the same concern. We assume he chose those words to make the point that every Muslim believes in the mission of Jesus, and perhaps gently imply that for that reason some professed Muslims may be better disciples of Christ than some professed Christians. We, too, were impressed with his words on contemporary problems, which shatter some of the negative images that persist in the West. It was for that reason that we printed the article. We have no interest in making Christians, Jews, Muslims or others into anything other than what they freely choose to be, so long as they respect that right for all of their fellow voyagers in our mutually shared place and time. Our apologies for holding your letter so long while we awaited space and, because of space limitations, having to trim your appropriate Islamic invocations from the text after mention of the names of the various prophets.

The Cradle of Civilization

I was most pleased to read the article containing the views on modern Iraq of Dr. Hasan S. Al Khatib in the Washington Report. Dr. Al Khatib correctly writes that Mesopotamia was the cradle of civilization and mentions the Assyrian Christian minority in Iraq. Dr. Al Khatib might be interested in knowing of a good-sized Assyrian community in California, which publishes Nineveh magazine, P. O. Box 2620, Berkeley, CA 94702. Let us pray for peace in Iraq and the Middle East and the resumption of good will and relations with the West.

—Francis E. Hoyen, Jr., Worcester, MA

Lottery for Citizenship

An ad inviting persons born in or married to persons from 36 named countries, including Canada, to participate in a lottery program to obtain U.S. immigrant visas appeared in the Canadian press. In the list of countries where applicants for this American immigration lottery have to have been born, Ireland is followed immediately by Italy. Israel has been omitted.

Such blatant discrimination, but I haven't heard a peep of protest from fellow Israelis or their supporting lobby in the U.S. Would it be too far-fetched to surmise that it was precisely those circles which persuaded the authorities not to include Israeli "sabras" among those allowed to apply? And that the purpose is to spare the Israeli government the embarrassment of learning just how many would jump at the chance to leave?

Miriam M. Abileah, Toronto, Ont., Canada