This failure undermines consumer confidence in the safety of our nation's meat supply and provides one more reason to replace beef in our diet with a veggie burger or another soy-based meat alternative.
Jen Riley
Ellicott City
Bush shows strength by backing Israel
As someone who has found little, if anything, to like about President Bush or his policies, I have the greatest respect and admiration for the president's stalwart, unequivocal and unwavering support for Israel's efforts to protect itself from the attacks by Hezbollah and Hamas ("Hezbollah rockets kill 15," Aug. 7).
President Bush has clearly articulated the enormous stakes in this conflict between liberal civilization and Islamic terrorism.
Despite intense diplomatic pressure to impose a cease-fire that will only enable the terrorists to regroup and re-arm, Mr. Bush has stood firmly for Israel's unconditional right under international law to defend its people and its borders.
He deserves the gratitude of us all for his courage and fortitude.
Benjamin Rosenberg
Baltimore
Rhetoric can't justify killing of civilians
The writer of one of Saturday's letters on the Middle East ("Can war resolve Mideast's conflicts?" Aug. 5) proposes that, in its war in Lebanon, Israel should use "saturation bombing" and "free-fire zones" and that Hezbollah targets should be taken out "without any consideration of the Lebanese people."
I can only surmise that it is Israeli nationalism together with a strange understanding of Israel as a representative of God's chosen people that leads to such bombastic arrogance.
No rhetoric, however, can hide the unethical and illegal nature of Israel's disproportionate use of force against Lebanese civilians.
John Bailey
Edgemere
