Letters

The Deadliest War in the World Our reporting on the forgotten conflict in Congo and the enormous toll it has taken on the nation's inhabitants moved readers to share their sadness and pity. Many wondered how the devastation could have escaped the world's attention for so long, while others called for action to prevent further suffering

Thank you for drawing attention to the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, perhaps the world's most neglected humanitarian crisis [June 5]. Fewer than 2% of the deaths in the conflict are due to violent acts, while almost three-quarters are due to easily preventable infectious diseases and malnutrition. Our survey, which was mentioned in your story, found that when security is assured, death rates plummet. Halting the fighting would allow medical clinics to function, food production to recommence, markets to operate and people to return home from unsanitary refugee camps. The impact on public health is clear: tens of thousands of lives could be saved every month. But as you rightly observe, the political will does not exist to increase the peacekeeping force to a level that would make that possible. It is a shame that the decision to allocate resources in a crisis is too often based on political considerations rather than humanitarian need. RICHARD J. BRENNAN, M.D. INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE New York City ----------------- BENJAMIN COGHLAN, M.D. BURNET INSTITUTE Melbourne, Australia

It is wrenching to see the people of a vast and resourceful country suffer such malnutrition, disease and terror while the U.S. and the rest of the world blithely go their own way. You have opened our eyes; now we have to open our hearts. KURT FREY Cheshire, Conn.

My first trip to Congo was in August 1998, just days before the current war began, and I have seen the infrastructure and essential services decline ever since. How could we, the civilized world, allow this war to consume 3.9 million innocent lives? Even worse, why are so few people talking about it and even fewer doing something about it? WOODY M. COLLINS Indianapolis, Ind.

I am worried about the impact of James Nachtwey's photos of anguished Congolese. There is a heroism about the images, but there is also a romantic artistry that blunts the pain, and they suggest too strongly the presence of attentive helpers. We Americans know far too little about Africa and pay too little attention. But would we turn so blind an eye to the death, in less than a decade, of 6% of our own population at the hands of warring parties? I hope not. DOUG WATSON Shawnee, Okla.

Your cover story on Congo was a heartbreaking reminder of yet another area of our world where suffering reigns supreme. When I had finished studying the photographs, I turned to the next story--about the complex surgery performed on the injured racehorse Barbaro. Why is it that we are willing to spend many thousands of dollars on a finely tuned animal yet virtually ignore the scope of human need? The contrast is mind boggling. LYNN MARK St. Louis, Mo.

TIME's story was a concise and accurate picture of the world's most lethal conflict since World War II. For more than a century, Congo has endured slavery, poverty and destruction. And the end is not in sight. Along with humanitarian aid, there must be diplomatic reconciliation between Congo's east and west, scholarships for young Congolese people to study in Europe and the U.S., and firm agreements among Congo's neighboring nations to keep their armies away. As the story noted, elections will be nearly impossible at this juncture. But at least we can now appreciate the full extent of the horror these people have experienced all their lives. As we debate U.S. involvement in Sudan, perhaps we can spare a few minutes to consider the plight of those innocent souls pictured so well by TIME's reporting. RICHARD B. LAWSON Mountlake Terrace, Wash.

Congo needs help, and the first step toward that is focusing media attention. The Congolese have suffered in silence and had their plight ignored for far too long. In fact, the nation seems to have a history of silence. Many people did not know about the atrocities committed during the rule of Belgium's King Leopold II, and many do not know what is going on today. Thank you for bringing attention to a place that dearly needs it. Your story was extremely moving. I hope readers will be persuaded to take action and help restore dignity and peace to the brave Congolese people. AMANDA DOVEATT Naperville, Ill.

Those of us who live and work in Congo sometimes have difficulty understanding why so little attention is paid to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. I must take issue, however, with the authors' contention that the country cannot save itself. It is true that Congo needs a great deal of international support to hold elections, develop infrastructure and put an end to the insecurity in the east. But real progress will occur only when all of Congo's leaders and citizens decide to make things better for themselves. LAURA SEAY Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo

Well, it's about time! I have been working in the humanitarian-aid field for several years, and every time I visit the U.S. (my country of origin), I cannot help wondering how many wars go unnoticed because they aren't mentioned on the evening news. Unfortunately, for the 3.9 million killed so far in Congo and the countless more who are dying as I write this, your story is too late. ELIZABETH M. CAMP London

Your selection of photographs from Congo is simply devastating. Why is the world so silent? The U.S. is spending billions of dollars fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but to what avail? If the Bush Administration really cares about establishing democracy around the world, it is concentrating on the wrong region. KRIS SAHAY Winnipeg, Ont.

Church vs. State

Re "Battle of the Bishops" [May 15], on China's unauthorized ordination of two Roman Catholic bishops: China is flouting ancient church law to assert its authority over all areas of the religious as well as political life of its population. The decision by Beijing to appoint two bishops of its own appears to be a cynical attempt to increase the schism between the roughly 4 million Chinese Catholics who worship through the state-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the 8 million Chinese Catholics loyal to the Vatican. That is the last thing the Catholic Church needs as it tries to build bridges and protect those who are dedicated to its teachings from the power brokering and politicking of Beijing. MEL DUIGNAN Dublin

Lessons of the Cold War

Peter Beinart's essay "Let Your Enemies Crumble" [June 5] correctly pointed out that containment policies against repressive regimes have been successful, most notably with the Soviet Union during the cold war. The Soviet leaders, however, were consistently capable of rational judgment, whereas Saddam Hussein was not entirely so--which made him far more unpredictable and dangerous. If Saddam were still in power, isn't it likely that he would have been able to reconstitute at least some of his WMD programs by now? CHANNING BLICKENSTAFF West Lafayette, Ind.

Obama for President

Thank you, Joe Klein, for your column on Barack Obama as a possible presidential candidate [June 5]. In my opinion, Obama is not only the future of the Democratic Party but also the future of America. Although he has "zero military and national-security experience"--as was the case with the current President--he understands the problems facing everyday Americans. It's refreshing to hear someone like Obama speak from the heart and actually mean what he says. Elect Obama in 2008! RALPH REAGAN West Cape May, N.J.

I agree with Klein 100%. I attended a small dinner with Obama and was left stunned by his possibilities. Yes, he's young. Yes, he's new. But he has what our country needs right now. SUSAN BURMEISTER-BROWN Portland, Ore.

The Enron Verdicts

I appreciated the Viewpoint column on the Enron verdicts by the company's whistle-blower, Sherron Watkins [June 5]. I agree with her argument that humility is a basic ingredient of a spiritual life. No matter how often he invokes Scripture, Enron's founder, Ken Lay, will never learn that stealing is wrong until he finds some of that elusive characteristic. But there is hope: some people learn that valuable lesson in prison. GARY ROE Santa Cruz, Calif.

Watkins has captured the essence of leadership: humility and an ability to admit mistakes. If I hadn't known she was describing Lay's fatal flaws as the leader of Enron, I would have concluded that she was describing Bush's fatal flaws as the leader of our nation. We taxpayers are the stockholders and customers of our government, and we owe it to ourselves and our progeny to ask, the next time we go to the polls, whether we have learned from the failures of our leaders. MIMI BARRON Fredericksburg, Va.