U.S. Diplomats

As I watched and heard the solemn ceremonies marking the return of those killed in the African embassy bombings (Aug. 14), I remembered: Fifty-nine years ago, Americans like these had saved my life and that of my parents.

It was a few weeks after the Nazi pogrom, the Kristallnacht, and nine months before the outbreak of World War II, when the escape gates would close forever. Fighting desperate, panic-stricken crowds at the American State Department visa office in Berlin, my parents were able to obtain a relatively rare American entry visa for the three of us.

In the name of my late parents, I shall always be grateful to those Americans in the foreign service who made our escape possible.

My deepest condolences to the families of those who died in the cowardly bombings in Africa and also to the innocent Africans killed and terribly injured.

GARY S. FRANKLIN

Chatsworth

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So now comes the news that Prudence Bushnell, our ambassador in Kenya, has repeatedly asked for more money to upgrade security (Aug. 13).

Meanwhile, the Republicans who control Congress have been busy cutting the budget, therefore no money was available. Further, President Clinton has been so distracted by the Ken Starr fiasco that his attention to these matters may have been diverted. Every Republican in Congress should immediately resign, and Starr should end his vindictive and petty investigation at once, and they should all go home and pray to God for forgiveness.

RUSTY AUSTIN

Culver City

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The terrorists have declared war on the U.S. Because they hide behind the sovereignty of many nations, we cannot retaliate in the conventional manner.

Congress should declare war on all terrorists, wherever they may be, and make them subject to immediate capture or execution when apprehended. We should then make it clear that we are sending out well-paid agents to covertly prosecute this war. This will have a chilling effect on the various groups and they will undoubtedly start to distrust each other. We really do not have many other options.

BERNARD LEHRER

Ventura