Iraq and Turkey

Regarding the article "Turkey won't 'wait forever' for Iraq to act" (Oct. 24): The present situation in northern Iraq demonstrates how awkward U.S. policy has become in the region.

There is a clear danger of war between one of America's important allies, Turkey, and the people of a region it wants to protect, the Northern Iraq.

The solution is obvious: Stop or at least curtail the activities of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by Washington, in Northern Iraq.

This can be done if the United States puts enough pressure on the Kurdish leaders like Massoud Barzani, the leader of the Iraqi regional Kurdish government, and President Jalal Talabani of Iraq.

Yet it seems that the United States is unsure what to do or which side to take.

Ahmet Ozgunes, Istanbul

Seeking balance

Adam Levick (Letters, Oct. 24) castigates Daniel Levy ("How about a peace lobby," Views, Oct. 17) for not mentioning Hamas and Hezbollah in his article on causes of the Mideast conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

On the same page as Levy, Dore Gold, formerly an adviser to Israeli prime ministers, in deflecting blame from Israel for the extended conflict, contrives to write over 1,000 words without once using the word "occupation."

If both sides continue to live in the past, there will be no future - for Israel or Palestine.

James Stuart, Le Paradou, France

Henry Kissinger warns: "If either America's Arab or Israeli friends are asked to take on more than they are able to withstand, there's the risk of another, even larger blow-up" ("Bold script, weak actors," Views, Oct. 24). I suggest that the concessions Israel is being asked to make are too bold and will leave Israel too weak.

Kissinger's own experience in Sinai with the Egypt-Israel peace agreement is an example. Currently, Egypt is facilitating deliveries of weapons into the Gaza Strip. Very few, if any, of the smuggling tunnels have been shut down. True, Egypt is not engaged in a major war with Israel. But this isn't peace.

Yisrael Medad, Shiloh, Israel