The success of transplants

I was in Albany visiting my family for Easter Sunday and was dismayed to read the article that your paper picked up from the Washington Post about “inflated” numbers on the U.S. Transplant Waiting List that is administered by UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing.

It was the opinion of the article’s author, Rob Stein, that because the number of folks reported as waiting for a transplant also include those who are currently listed as “inactive,” it is therefore misleading and used as a “marketing ploy” to drum up the need for more donors.

I am a kidney transplant recipient who has enjoyed eight years of good health free from a dialysis machine and all the complications that go along with it. It dismays me to think of the damage that was done by this article. It particularly disturbs me that while your small-town paper picked up the original article, it is unlikely that you will print any follow-up in regards to this matter.

This negative, one-sided attention to organ donation has the potential to harm many people who wait for a transplant to save their life right this very moment. In fact, as I write this, there are more than 2,500 people in the Pacific Northwest waiting for a second chance at life.

Organ donation is a generous, life-saving gift that tens of thousands of Americans are waiting for. Please don’t let your readers go on thinking this is not a legitimate, medically just, equitable, regulated and successful program in our nation.

Laura Ellsworth, Vancouver

Sometimes, torture works

Regarding the letter “Torture proves nothing” by Bill Porter (March 1) in response to one of my letters, I must also respond.

To start, Mr. Porter, let me say that if you served in Korea during the Korean war my hat is off to you and my thanks are genuine. It breaks my heart though that a veteran would so quickly turn against his fellow comrades. I realize that Sen. Kerry, Congressman Murtha and others have over the past few years used derogatory remarks against their fellow veterans to further their careers. Although that is more horrendous than your remarks because of their position, that does not make your remarks less offensive.

To clarify, waterboarding has been effective and has saved hundreds if not thousands of lives, innocent lives, and this has been well documented. I do not know how many times this technique has been used, nor to be honest do I care, but I do know it has been successful on at least three occasions. One life saved, one terrorist inconvenienced. Seems fair to me.

Ninety-nine percent of those railing against this means of interrogation do not have a clue as to what waterboarding entails. It is not life threatening and it is used against people who have proven they want to kill innocent people, our innocent people.

I honestly do not understand why a veteran of America’s military refuses to understand what our military is doing. They are not blindly following our commander in chief; they are an all-voluntary military and if you listen to what your fellow soldiers are saying about Iraq and their sacrifices so you can have the freedom to display your prejudices, you would thank President Bush, not revile him.

When was the last time a building in any town was blown up by terrorists since President Bush reacted? Do you honestly think they had the goal of only attacking America once? Better turn your mule loose and read through the news about our country. Then stand behind your fellow servicemen and women, and your president who knew when to react.

Larry Crompton, Scio

Good sources on Iraq

Cord Meados asked (Mailbag, March 22) for the source of my information on Iraq. I thank him for the question, and am happy to share:

I google “Iraq war” from time to time, and find there a gold mine of information and differing views. I especially appreciate the perspectives of our military veterans who are serving and have served there. I greatly appreciate and honor their sacrifices for us. I served in Korea, and would do so again if needed.

Of the many good books on Iraq, let me mention a few. “The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War and Losing the Peace,” is outstanding. Its author, Ali A. Allawi, served as the first minister of defense in the new Iraqi government, and is now a senior adviser to the prime minister. He saw it all, and tells all. Lengthy, but worth it!

Probably the best book by an American is “The End of Iraq,” by Peter Galbraith. He is an expert who has spent a lot of time there over many years and is in close touch with, and friends with, many Iraqis. He believes Iraq will have to be split three ways to survive at all.

For a thorough military analysis of the war, “Fiasco” by Thomas Ricks is excellent. He is the military reporter for The Washington Post. His regular beat is the Pentagon, and he has good sources there.

I believe the key to understanding Iraq and what’s happening there is knowledge of the Shia-Sunni split and the splits within those groups. The best on that and the regional politics involved (which we have ignored), is “The Shia Revival,” by Vali Nasr, an Iranian-born Muslim American professor of international relations, of growing international renown. And justly so. This is a must-read!

Along similar lines, another

brilliant book by an Iranian-born Muslim-American professor is “No God but God,” by Reza Aslan. It is simply a masterpiece on the history and basic teachings of Islam, and sets straight, from the Koran, many of the current and popular misunderstandings about that unjustly vilified religion.

I hope all this is helpful. For further insight, check Juan Cole’s regular update on Iraq on the Internet. He’s a professor at University of Michigan, and a widely recognized expert on the Middle East.

John Goodwin, Lebanon

The check is coming — right!

Next Wednesday, a man will fly into the Eugene airport in his company Lear jet, drive to Lebanon to meet me and together we’ll go to my bank to deposit a check for $100,000, which I just won in a contest, tax-free. How cool is that? But don’t you believe it.

At first we didn’t believe the charming voice on the phone. My husband listened in on the bedroom phone, and after joking around a bit, we became convinced we’d soon be richer.

When I told the nice man the first thing I would do with the money would be to donate to my church, he said he knew I was a good, religious person, and told me he was the son of an Anglican priest and told me about his family. Being elderly and a little confused, I said I would need my lawyer to help me out, but he said he was a lawyer and would represent me. Also, we mustn’t tell anyone about our windfall until two weeks after we received our money.

We had entered a couple contests recently and that’s why it seemed real. When he asked for $5,000 up front for insurance purposes, then reduced to $2,500 and finally only $500 that must be sent in today, I balked and said I needed time to think about it.

The sheriff’s investigation was helpful and showed this is a scam. So this is a warning to others. Never give personal information over the phone, and we did not. If the contest is legitimate, they will never ask for money up front.

If that Lear jet brings me $100,000 soon, I’ll write another letter to the editor and tell you my good fortune, but I’m not holding my breath.

Maryland Johnson, Lebanon