Letters to the Editor

OPINION:

Protecting innocent human life

I would like to comment on the article “2 sides tout favorable trend on Roe” (Nation, Monday) and the letter “Unborn children are human beings” (Monday). In recognition of the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I commend the new generation of pro-life activists.

Human life begins at conception. This was established 120 years ago by Wilhelm His, the father of human embryology. The respect for every human life, from conception to natural death, is an essential condition of any civil society worthy of the name. When man’s conscience loses respect for life as something sacred, he inevitably ends by losing his own identity.

On a superficial level, one may be convinced that legalized abortion has not changed much in our private lives and in our society. It all takes place in the silence of an operating room, which ensures the woman’s safety. It is as if the fetus has never existed — but there are no small murders.

Those who support abortion cannot coherently answer the question of why the right of the fetus not to be killed must yield to the right of individual choice. When the law accepts that the rights of the weakest may be violated, it also accepts that the law of the jungle prevails over the rule of law. When we begin to call even an embryonic human being a “thing” or a “clump of cells,” progress can become blind and destructive.

We all must welcome every new life into the world, regardless of the circumstances, as if it were our own. Our lives and the lives of our unborn children are inseparable.

PAUL KOKOSKI

Hamilton, Ontario

Elizabeth Dole for vice president

In response to William Rusher’s Sunday Commentary column, “A word about vice presidents,” I would like to say that the Republicans have a uniquely qualified vice presidential candidate available to complement the eventual nominee.

Mr. Rusher intimated that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would be a strong running mate, and that undoubtedly is true. However, I think Sen. Elizabeth Dole would be an equally compelling or even superior vice-presidential candidate for the Republican Party in 2008.

Mrs. Dole offers strong conservative credentials (an American Conservative Union rating in 2005 and 2006 of 96 percent and a lifetime rating of 91), geographical benefits (North Carolina) and gender options to offset Sen. Hillary Clinton’s likely nomination. Mrs. Dole is married to one of the Republican Party’s most respected men of the 20th century.

Mrs. Dole offers intelligence (Phi Beta Kappa and a Harvard Law graduate), experience serving in numerous presidential administrations (including two cabinet positions) and has successfully led one of the largest and most admired nonprofit corporations, the American Red Cross.

Her legislative accomplishments are too numerous to cite in this forum, and her personality and strengths as a spokesperson for the Republican Party would aid any ticket, particularly following an administration that is often unable to articulate and defend its vision for America.

Mr. Rusher is correct that the vice presidency is an important position that often has been a launching pad to the presidency. One need only consider the recent contributions of Dick Cheney and Al Gore to refute John Nance Garner’s infamous admonition regarding the general unimportance of the vice presidency.

Mrs. Dole is an amazingly accomplished individual. Her contributions to this nation easily exceed those of any of the major Democrat candidates for president.

In fact, she is arguably more prepared for the presidency than any of the Republican Party’s candidates. The Republican nominee would be wise to include Mrs. Dole on a very short list of vice presidential running mates.

The recent test for VP selection has been: Who do you think would be most capable of becoming president should the nation’s chief executive become unable to complete his/her term?”

On that question, there is no doubt that Mrs. Dole is immediately capable of handling the duties of president.

ELLIS DANIEL

Nottingham, Md.

Pakistan’s creeping Islamization

Rep. Jane Harman, while correctly pointing out the need to shift the focus away from Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, is misreading the dynamics of Pakistan; mere education and enterprise are not going to solve the riddle that is Pakistan (“Unfailing friend or failing state?” Op-Ed, Tuesday).

Indian analyst Sushant Sareen has explained in “Islamists Taking Over Pakistan” (Pioneer, Jan. 8) the reasons for the creeping Islamization of Pakistan: “Clearly, the Islamists are winning the ideological debate on the role of Islam in Pakistan. The liberal, and moderate, sections of Pakistani society are unable to present any convincing argument against the Islamists. Partly because of this, and partly as a result of the persecution complex that Muslims around the world have developed, Pakistani society is getting more and more Islamized and radicalized.

“Many middle-class families, including military and civilian officers, no longer think twice before sending the children for a few years.”

The real question for Congress and the White House is whether they are willing to move beyond political correctness and wage much-needed innovative ideological warfare to discredit the Islamists.

MOORTHY MUTHUSWAMY

Coram, N.Y.

Hamas is the aggressor

Michael Shank’s letter “Don’t choke off Gaza” (Tuesday) ignores the suffering of Israelis under constant rocket barrages from the Gaza Strip, vastly hypes the plight of Gazans and urges unconditional engagement with Hamas a step that would enhance the political standing of this terrorist organization at the expense of President Mahmoud Abbas and thus doom any progress toward a two-state solution.

Mr. Shank also has several of his facts wrong. Gazans are far from starvation and do not lack basic food and medical necessities, which Israel has provided and is committed to providing. There has been no interruption of electricity supplies from Israel (which account for 70 percent of Gaza’s power needs) even though Israeli power company workers often targeted by Gaza-based rocket fire are risking their lives to keep transmission lines into Gaza in operating condition. Though there are diesel shortages, they are caused as much by Hamas diverting fuel to rocket-fabricating plants as by a reduction in supplies from Israel.

Mr. Shank also goes over the top when he alludes to 100-plus Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since November, omitting the fact that the preponderant majority were terrorists active in helping rain missiles on Israeli civilian targets. History clearly shows that any concession to Hamas would only embolden terrorist groups to step up their aggression in pursuit of their agenda to eliminate Israel. That’s why Egypt and the Palestinian Authority have been on Israel’s side in helping to isolate Hamas-ruled Gaza.

The only way to end the suffering on both sides of the Gaza border is to keep up pinpoint-accuracy counterattacks against terrorist cells in Gaza until Hamas is either defeated or permanently ends all violence and embraces a two-state solution.

LEO RENNERT

Bethesda