Mail Call

Our June 19 report on Zarqawi's death garnered unexpected responses from readers. "Good riddance," wrote one. But, pointed out another, "many more people have died from U.S. bombs." A third said, "Our job won't be any easier--we'll still have to deal with Iraqi Sunni insurgents."

Abu Mussab Al-Zarqawi was a violent, ruthless, brutal terrorist operative of Al Qaeda ("Death of a Terrorist," June 19). But with him out of the way, the job of the United States won't be any easier. It may even be more difficult. Now we have to deal with bona fide Iraqi Sunni insurgents--not an outsider Jordanian terrorist--who have legitimate claims to govern Iraq, as they perceive themselves as nationalists fighting off invading foreign devils. A well-organized and well-equipped force, they will not go away. The United States is eventually going to have to deal with them at the negotiating table and provide them with some role in the new Iraqi government.

Kenneth L. Zimmerman

Huntington Beach, California

"Death of a Terrorist" is the story of a much-hyped criminal who didn't deserve all the publicity he got. After failing to find any weapons of mass destruction, the Americans were desperate to establish a Qaeda link between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. They dubbed this petty criminal, Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, the head of Al Qaeda in Iraq. And now by killing him, they have once again tried legitimizing all their misadventures in Iraq as efforts toward eliminating Al Qaeda. If masterminds and perpetrators of acts of terror are eliminated, the crime rate in a civil society could be brought down. But fundamentalist forces show little delay in regrouping after one of their leaders goes off the scene. And that is exactly what is happening in Iraq, much to the dismay of the United States.

R. K. Sudan

Jammu, India

Good riddance to Abu Mussab Al-Zarqawi, who killed a lot of innocent people in his relatively limited span of terror. But the number of people who have died in Iraq as "collateral damage" due to the consistent U.S. bombings and coldblooded killings by U.S. soldiers (such as in Haditha) is far greater than what Zarqawi could ever have achieved in his lifetime.

Shehzad Ahmed Mir

Islamabad, Pakistan

The jubilation over the killing of Zarqawi is understandable by those who believe that death is the ultimate punishment for an evil person. To be placed in solitary confinement or to be forced to live with incurable and unrelievable pain, as many nicer people are forced to suffer, is a much worse punishment than what Zarqawi was dealt. Everyone dies at one time or another, and few are allowed to choose when or how. I just hope that when my time comes, I will go out as easily as he did.

Gabe Hausmann

Annapolis, Maryland

Two bombs were used to kill Zarqawi. "Inside, two men, two women and a small girl were dead." This indiscriminate killing resulted in the death of a child and possibly innocent people. This was not an act of war, but a terrorist attack in itself. We are what we're fighting against.

Celeste Twamley

Kingston, New Jersey

Looking at the pictures of a dead but intact Zarqawi and the rubble of his bombed-out safe house, I can't help but wonder if the U.S. government is telling the truth about how it got him. The government's miscommunication on the first day about accounts of how Iraqi and American soldiers found him dead, then alive and muttering prayers, only makes me wonder more.

Julian Gomez

Grenoble, France

All those who were involved in the manhunt and eventual killing of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi by precision bombing deserve commendation. However, special kudos to Jordanian King Abdullah II for "giving up" his own countryman for the sake of peace and security in the world. Zarqawi's killing is a major victory in the war on terror. He never reckoned that his own members of Al Qaeda would jettison their loyalty to him and his beliefs to betray him. Watch out, Osama!

Cosmas Uzoma Odoemena

Sokoto, Nigeria

The realities of war and his own horrible acts aside, does the American national media's crowing over Zarqawi's dead face speak well of our ability to promote peace and democracy anywhere?

Jesse Koskey

New York, New York

Your story on the fatal capture of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi was informative and important, yet I do not believe that headlines reading how they got him and a demon's heart reflect any better judgment of human life than that which terrorists themselves possess. Zarqawi's death was necessary and well deserved, but your article reveals a more important issue: are we gradually transforming into a society that is as violent and merciless as the ones we claim to be ridding this planet of?

Luke A. DiIorio

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Zarqawi wouldn't have been so effective without the substantive support of Islamic governments--primarily Iran's. Many have been misled into believing that the "success" of Islamic terrorism is due to a few "exceptional individuals" like Zarqawi and Osama bin Laden, and that killing such leaders will defeat terrorism. But in reality the "success" is mostly caused by behind-the-scenes support of dictatorships like those in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria. As long as terrorist-sponsoring dictatorships exist, an effective replacement for Zarqawi (and other dead terrorist leaders) will be found. It's time to realize who our real enemies are before it's too late.

Glenn Woiceshyn

Calgary, Canada

The story about Zarqawi's death is a typical example of U.S. journalism. He may have killed many people or had them killed. However, it is certain that George W. Bush and his accomplices, by invading the country, have caused not only the deaths of more people than Zarqawi but also destruction and suffering for survivors.

Willy Van Damme

Dendermonde-grembergen, Belgium

Zarqawi may be dead, but it is premature for Americans to be dancing in jubilation. No one knows if his successor will be better or worse. Since America was responsible for his death, our country may become the focus of a retaliatory attack, or U.S. interests may be targeted in other countries. No doubt, more U.S. troops will lose their lives. How can we fight off this deadly insurgency when new terrorists are being born every minute?

JoAnn Lee Frank

Clearwater, Florida

Thank you for your clear and dispassionate report on why Brazil wins in football ("Hail to the Kings," June 12). Brazil's squad this year had all it took to surpass the legendary team of 1970 in the minds and hearts of football lovers everywhere. More important, though, was NEWSWEEK's impartiality in admitting that this year's World Cup really "looks like a one-horse race"--unlike another publication, which included Brazil among "the best of the rest." Accidents can and do happen--and Brazilians should never forget the World Cup finals in 1950 and 1994.

Elezer Puglia

Zug, Switzerland

I've been troubled by your persistent anti-World Cup/football rhetoric, which seems only to weaken your stance as a globally progressive, broad-minded periodical. To your apparent dismay, there are those of us Americans who are left cold by the steroid-infused clunkiness of American football and baseball, and feel as the rest of the world does: that soccer is the greatest sport on earth, requiring the finest skill, agility and overall athletic ability. The theme of the World Cup has always been the unification of peoples and nations, which is needed now more than ever. Your voice only fuels a kind of Neanderthal isolationism and arrogance that is both pointless and incongruous. Get with the rest of the world, my friends.

Jay R. Nuzum

Moorpark, California

Arian Campo-Flores seems to want us to feel sorry for all the suffering illegal immigrants endure ("America's Divide," April 10/April 17). But they are breaking the law--so excuse me for not supporting their cause. Neither do I support a change in immigration law that allows any kind of amnesty for illegals. My wife came to the United States (legally) from Venezuela and is now a permanent resident. We have spent an incredible amount of time, money and energy to abide by the current U.S. immigration laws just to get this far. To now give a free pass to illegals is a slap in the face of my wife and all other immigrants who are playing by the rules in order to experience the American Dream.

Russell Connelly

Houston, Texas

By switching randomly between "immigration" and "illegal immigration," the text of your recent article muddied as much as it clarified. These are not interchangeable terms. One is in accordance with our laws, and I and most people support it. The other is in violation of our laws and, if rule of law is to mean anything, must be prevented or prosecuted--or the laws changed. Favoring one and opposing the other does not make me anti-immigration. It makes me someone who respects our laws.

Jim Gustafson

via internet

As a legal immigrant, I am astounded at the naiveté of the native-born. No country south of the border would ever be as absurdly generous as the United States is toward those who break its immigration laws. And I would rather pay $10 for a head of lettuce than have my quality of life as severely affected as it already is here in Los Angeles, where we sometimes have 40 kids to a classroom, choke on our clogged freeways and have our health-care systems completely overwhelmed. Wake up, America! If enough immigrants are allowed to stay, we are going to be saddled with the kinds of societies that brought them here in the first place.

Marcia Del Mar

Calabasas, California

One myth that needs to be laid to rest is that undocumented workers do jobs that Americans don't want to do. That's complete bunk. The issue revolves around money. If you are a building contractor, farm owner or restaurant manager with an eye on your bottom line, you can hire an illegal immigrant for a fraction of what you'd have to pay an American citizen, and with no worries about lawsuits for injuries or complaints about job conditions or low pay. Large corporations do it by outsourcing jobs overseas. It's capitalism, pure and simple: the lowest bidder gets the work.

David Zartman

Seattle, Washington

The value of the illegal immi-grant to our society is his illegality. As long as he retains his illegal status, an immigrant can be paid less, denied health care and dismissed at will. This is what corporations who employ undocumented workers value most. It's why a guest-worker program will not succeed. When illegals become federally recognized guest workers, the jig will be up, because they will have to be treated like human beings. This will not sit well with employers who thrive on illegals. A guest-worker program will create millions of legitimate workers, and hard-pressed employers will be forced to seek out (and "invite" into our country) another illegal group willing to be paid less, denied health care and dismissed at will.

George Moss

Columbus, Ohio

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony thinks we should help all immigrants to live in America ("A Cardinal's Campaign"). Will he offer all his archdiocese's children free education? This would take the burden of educating these children off the state. He could render "unto God the things that are God's." He doesn't have to stand for re-election with taxpayers, so he shouldn't be weighing in on state policies for which the tax-exempt church does not pay.

Carole McIntyre

Waynesburg, Pennsylvania