Paal is right
Taiwan is very fortunate to have a statesman such as Douglas Paal to represent our best friend, the US, in our nation. ["One hundred days in the new Iraq, Aug.14, page 9.] Many Islamic fundamentalists continue to live in the dark times of the Middle Ages. To kill and to be killed is seen as a virtue. Those who are willing to commit such atrocities are seen as martyrs.
Many of the Arab nations holding this view are under the control of fundamentalists and are members of UN. Yet they refuse to live by the UN's charter, which enshrines the values of human rights, peace and democracy. They enjoy the privileges and the forum of the UN, but refuse to endorse the spirit of its core values.
Very much in the way that Taiwan serves as a beacon of democracy to the Chinese, democratic Iraq will serve as a better alternative for the masses of the Arab world.
The myth that democracy is incompatible with Chinese nationals or Islamic believers can be dispersed.
Respect for the fundamental rights of all human beings will provide better stability, social advancement and prosperity, as described so arrogantly by Paal in his article.
Chen Ming-chung
Chicago, Illinois
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