NEWSWEEK, you have done a good job covering the war in Yugoslavia (“Mission: Uncertain,” Europe, April 5). I think, however, that the United States and NATO went a step too far by going to war against Slobodan Milosevic. The rest of the world is slowly realizing this. Predrag Maksimovich Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
The conflict in Kosovo is hopefully Europe’s last colonial war. While in the rest of Europe many people have been freed from domination and have achieved democratic rights, the Serbs in Yugoslavia still believe they can dominate the Albanian Kosovars by force. This can’t be tolerated, and that’s why NATO’s actions are so important. For decades Europeans were too slow to act against dictators like Mussolini, Franco, Hitler and Stalin. Even in Yugoslavia we are 10 years too late. Our freedom must never be taken for granted. When our neighbors are not free, neither are we. Tsvi Golan Vasby, Sweden
Violence brings new violence, hatred produces new hatred and victims are victims on both sides in a war. There are no bombs smart enough to solve ethnic conflicts deeply rooted in history. What is taking place in Yugoslavia now is irrational, shortsighted and devoid of any sense of history or peaceful vision for Europe. The war endangered precisely the values it intended to protect. Branko Chorvath Bratislava, Slovakia
While the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo is a terrible crime and must be stopped, bombing without the support of the entire U.N. Security Council is not the way to do it. As a young Peace Corps volunteer serving in Russia, I’m a witness to growing nationalism and anti-American sentiment in this country, and not just by communists and skinheads. Nearly all of my Russian student friends support their government’s position concerning NATO’s use of force, and most are willing to take up arms to help defend Yugoslavia if necessary. At a time when we should be doing everything we can to promote friendship and cooperation between countries, NATO is instead helping to draw a new iron curtain across the continent. Jason Stephens Vladivostok, Russia
After the end of the cold war, it was my firm belief as a Muslim that America and its Western allies were systematically weakening Muslim states. Like all Muslims, I was angry when the United States attacked Iraq during the gulf war and when Osama bin Laden was targeted in Afghanistan. However, the NATO action against Serbia to protect ethnic Albanian Muslims in Kosovo certainly has proved that President Clinton and his allies believe in justice and fair play. Our prayers are with the NATO forces. Zahid Choudhry Karachi, Pakistan
Thanks for the first key to Slobodan Milosevic’s ruthless personality that I’ve ever read. Tom Masland’s revelation in "" that Milosevic’s mother, father and uncle all committed suicide at last makes understandable the Serbian president’s obsession with power at any price. I suspect such a tragic emotional background will have made him not just difficult but impossible. And his wife’s specialty, Marxist ideology, doesn’t sound very promising as a healing doctrine. Allan Bula East Sussex, England
The least painful way of relieving the Balkans of a crazy dictator and his horrible policy of ethnic cleansing would be to get rid of him. With access to good intelligence, NATO should be able to track the whereabouts of Milosevic most of the time. Imagine a cruise missile addressed to Milosevic. No further NATO bombing would be necessary. The atrocities in Kosovo would not escalate. Any successor to Milosevic in Yugoslavia would most likely not continue his policy of disregarding human rights and the will of the world. Brigt Hatlestad
Analyzing the Balkans
Henry A. Kissinger’s article “Doing Injury to History” is an excellent analysis of the Balkan conflicts (Europe, April 5). If there is one thing that is made clear by the actual situation in Kosovo, it is the dismal inability of the EU to shape a “foreign” policy independent of the choices of the United States. The EU will continue to fail in this field if it keeps on dealing mainly with financial issues, ignoring the cultural and historical realities of our continent. Natalia Agapiou Athens, Greece
The war in Kosovo is increasingly troubling to me. Former secretary of State Henry Kissinger is correct in saying World War II did not start due to ethnic conflicts. But it did begin because one man decided to go after something he believed he had to possess, and he definitely had ethnic cleansing on his mind, which resulted in millions’ dying needlessly. The war in Kosovo should be viewed no differently. I’m glad the United States is not sitting on its hands as it did in the early phase of World War II, and is helping to bring a resolution to this crisis. Miriam Green Cupertino, California
The swift reaction to the humanitarian suffering of tens of thousands of Kosovo refugees fleeing is meritorious indeed. However, there appears to be a clear case of double standards to similar incidents outside Europe. When the killing fields of Rwanda were saturated with the blood of tens of thousands of innocent civilian victims of a similar “cleansing” operation, the assistance was nowhere near the same. Henry Kissinger alludes to this in his article. There must be an equal concern and determination to alleviate the plight of the innocents wherever such barbarous deeds are witnessed–whether it is Europe, Africa or elsewhere. Albert Glass Cape Town, South Africa
Kissinger claims that Greece could take advantage of an assumed expansion of the crisis in Kosovo to curtail the former Yugoslav republic Macedonia. This is not true. The stability and integrity of a neighboring country is paramount to Greece’s prosperity. There haven’t been, nor will there be, any territorial claims by Greece against Macedonia. Nevertheless, Greeks do object to the distortion of history and the usurpation of the name Macedonia–a Greek word linked to one of the most prominent figures in ancient Greece, Alexander the Great, whom the Macedonians claim was Macedonian. Spyros Antonakopoulos Athens, Greece
How paradoxical that NATO now speaks of “early” action to avoid a wider conflict, when in the winter of 1996-97 the United States and Europe stood by as 100,000 people demonstrated daily against the Milosevic regime. Had we taken tough action in the region sooner, we might have avoided the need for military intervention in Kosovo. Vanja Oduber-Vlajic Aruba
The Pearls of China
In the piece “Treasures of Ancient China” you state that “when Chinese Nationalists fled to Taiwan after World War II, they smuggled over 600,000 artifacts” (Cyberscope, April 5). I do not understand what you mean by “smuggled.” We Chinese thank the government for the decision to preserve those “treasures of ancient China” in Taiwan and let them sit safely in the National Palace Museum, where they can be viewed by everyone. Too many ancient treasures were destroyed by the Chinese communist regime during the Cultural Revolution, which lasted from 1966 to 1976. Nelson Luk Hong Kong
On Cricket and ‘Chucking
The Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor, who retired recently, is an exceptional sportsman in an era of drug scandals, shady financial deals and unruly behavior by players (as well as spectators) on and off the field (“Beware the Hooligans,” Asia, Feb. 15). He thoroughly deserves praise. Equally, the behavior of the Sri Lankan captain on the field during the one-day match against England is unacceptable. But your omission of what looked like a very well-planned and organized campaign against the Sri Lankans (the current one-day champions) that preceded the incident is not objective reporting. Ponnaiah Dharmratnam Wattala, Sri Lanka
The ugly incident in the match between England and Sri Lanka was started by Australian umpire Ross Emerson’s no-balling Muttiah Muralitharan of the Sri Lankan team for bending his arm, or “chucking.” This has happened before, but then the International Cricket Council found that Muralitharan’s chucking was caused by a birth defect. Muralitharan has bowled before hundreds of international umpires who have had no problems with his action. After Emerson started calling Muralitharan, our captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, had no choice but to intervene on his behalf. Ranatunga momentarily stepped over the line, but we fully back him in defending Muralitharan. Mayura Yapa Colombo, Sri Lanka
In the Footsteps of Jesus
Congratulations to Kenneth L. Woodward for the superb article “2,000 Years of Jesus” (Society & The Arts, April 5). It was sensitive, comprehensive, informative and insightful. Woodward has always been a skilled writer–as the years go by, he only gets better. John P. Foley Vatican City
I read with great interest Kenneth Woodward’s article “2,000 Years of Jesus.” Though I may not agree with the entire piece, I was struck by the quality of your journalism. You correctly point out the positive impact Christ’s teachings have had on the world. I deplore crimes committed by misguided people who claim they are acting in the name of Jesus. But Christ led us to a higher standard, as your example of adultery points out. Thank you for a great story. Brent Corey Los Angeles, California
Your graphic “Christianity Across the Ages” shows Mexico, southern California and Central America without Christianity or missions in 1850. In fact, the mission of San Diego was founded in 1769, more than 240 years after the first missionaries began work in Mexico. Bill Murphy Urbana, Illinois
Congratulations! Your article gives a lot of well-researched, objective information about Christianity and its cultural influence. Everybody should thus be encouraged to examine the Bible with the same objectivity, free from prejudice, and apply its content personally to him- or herself. Gerhard Jahnke Heidenheim, Germany
I would like to applaud you for the article about Jesus. However, you should have emphasized the enormous influence Christian thinking has had on the development of human rights. Hans J. Stuckelberger Binz, Germany
The approach to the new millennium is certainly something to celebrate. As countless magazine and TV specials feature long lists of influential people of the past century, I was elated to see a story about Jesus Christ in NEWSWEEK. Your feature on Christianity maintained a neutral stand. It was interesting and made me realize that many teachings of Christianity were ahead of their time. Fortunately, they have carried over from the past to form the basis of many of the moral beliefs we still have today. Jia Shan Long Island City, New Jersey
So Long, Joltin’ Joe
Congratulations to Richard Ben Cramer for his truly magnificent story about the life of icon Joe DiMaggio (“The DiMaggio Nobody Knew” Society The Arts, March 22). I read it with a lot of nostalgia, having been raised in New Jersey and worked for one year in New York at the time DiMaggio was spinning his magic. One cannot help feeling sadness for the Yankee legend whose personal happiness was denied. Cathy Zimmerman Kansas City, Missouri
Richard Ben Cramer has written the biography of a man who remained a perplexing mystery for a lifetime. Joltin’ Joe was all things to all people, bigger than life itself, and Cramer’s book transcends baseball. Growing up in Chicago, I was in high school when Joe hit the majors. My dad took me to Comiskey Park to see the amazing New York Yankees. They were hated, but DiMaggio was cheered. My dad and I always verbally sparred about the Cubs and the White Sox; Joe was the only baseball great we ever agreed upon. Len Birnbaum Highland Park, Illinois
In the early ’80s, as I was walking through Denver’s Stapleton Airport, Paul Simon’s evocative song “Mrs. Robinson” was playing on the loudspeakers. I sang along, and just as I came to the words “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you,” a gray-haired gentleman walking in front of me turned around and smiled. It was DiMaggio, in person. I stood still, blinking my eyes to ascertain that what I had just experienced was real. I will never forget the smile on his face or the stately, dignified way he continued his journey down the concourse and through his life. Louis O. Schueler Fairfield, Connecticut
Erotic Hindu Art
I would like to comment on your article “Tempting the Gods,” on the erotic sculptors in India’s Khajuraho temples, which are 1,000 years old this year (Asia, March 22). The philosophy of idol worship in Hindu temples presumes the need for developing the power of concentration of the mind upon the idol-symbol in an attitude of prayer. A measure of one’s lack of focus is how easily one can be distracted by depictions of passion, such as those found in the statues of Khajuraho. To the watchful mind, such depictions are signposts in the mind and ultimately produce an effect of catharsis. Radhakrishnan Srikanth Bangalore, India
A Wish for Northern Ireland
Let us all hope that the politicians in Northern Ireland can overcome their differences and reach a lasting and universally acceptable agreement (“The Price of Courage,” Europe, March 29). This would ensure peace and prosperity for this generation as well as for future generations. We saw last year how they could work together for a compromise, resulting in the Good Friday Agreement. Let us hope that the decommissioning issue will not prove to be too big a stumbling block to overcome. G. S. MacEoghain
