PSU Magazine Spring 2003

E T T E R S No pretty picture for Iraq The picture painted in "A Democratic Middle East'" (winter 2003) wasn't a pretty one. U in fact you look at the status of European democracy and human rights anywhere outside the "west," it isn't pretty. But it's an accu– rate assessment of the likely success of "regime change" in Iraq and American– ization of governments in the Middle East, and that's the point of the story. Jon Mandaville PSU Professor of History and Interna– tional Studies; PSU Middle East Stud– ies Center Director We are a baby nation Please thank John Kirkland for writing one of the most succinct pieces regard– ing the Middle East I have ever had the opportunity to readl As a long-term history buff, I have always believed that one of the shining moments higher education and printed word afford is explaining the evils of war. The remarks by Ronald Tammen, Jon Mandaville, and John Damis need to be heard. We are a baby nation ourselves and trying to understand conflicts that have been waged for thousands of years in a region filled with religious tensions , bigoted tribesmen, and repressive governments would cause us to think about the Vietnam conflict before we get too arrogant. Your article says a lot and I hope it will be reprinted and sent around the globe. Americans believe that they can manipulate history by trying to force democracy in the face of cultures where choice does not exist. The Greeks and Romans tried and failed. If Portland State University and PSU Magazine continue Lo put forth articles like this then the goal of educating a public hungry for understandable comment about serious political strife can reach out to many. We must never forget that it wasn't war that broke down the Berlin Wall or fractured the Iron Curtain, it was economics, politi– cal dialogue, business interests, and the work of many in higher education who gave their time and talents. Lyn Stone Cazenovia, New York Ignoring realities of the Middle East Thank you for an excellent issue. found "A Democratic Middle East?" by John Kirkland to be most informative and current. It is too bad that the major media (CBS, et al.) have not picked up on these facts, and espe– cially tragic that our current national admin– istration seems to be ignoring the realities in the region. There are many countries and cultures between Morocco and The Philippine Islands. They are not at all the same, and they are certainly not like the United States and Western Europe. Percy G. Wood '69 Sent by email PSU Magazine wants to hearJrom you. Send your comments to PSU Magazine, Portland State Univer– sity, PO Box 751, Portland OR 97207-0751;or to email address psumag@pdx.edu . We reserve the right to editJor space and clarity. Shrews are not rodents I have to tweak the tale of the editor on the article "Naming of the Shrew" (winter 2003). Our poor moles and shrews. They are always accused of being rodents. Not sol They are mem– bers of the order Insectivora (not itali– cized) not Rodentia. Also the genus, in this case Crocidura, is always italicized and capitalized. Species is italicized and always lower case. I think this is the most common mistake 1 see in a great variety of news publications. Every writer could benefit from a short course in biological taxonomy Qust as a lot of us on the science side could benefit from a long course in writing). Keith Gehr, '76, '80 Sent by email This shrew awaits a species name, but we should have known it is a member of the order lnsectivora. They're not bats, either In "Naming of the Shrew," Steve Dodge implies on several occasions that bats are rodents. Rodentia and Chiroptera are utterly different orders. It is only in the misinformed popular imagination that bats are merely mice with wings. Jefferson Ranck Portland, Oregon SPRING 2003 PSU MAGAZINE 5