In his July 3 essay, Kirk S. Nevin' questioned the location of Oregon State University's nuclear research reactor. His listed evacuation problems, terrorist threats, melt-downs, etc. as possible threats. His comments were unfortunate and totally unjustified.

Nevin cited the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear accidents as precedents, without any apparent knowledge of actual findings. At Three Mile Island, there was no offsite radiation level even approaching the normal environmental exposure. Moreover, many compelling sources believed that, even in a complete "China Syndrome" melt-down, the radiation would have been contained in the reactor. The furor following that accident was due entirely to irresponsible action by a local public official.

Nevin then cites Chernobyl. The fact is, that there were only 31 deaths, and they were firefighters within the structure itself. (I have seen 85,000 deaths projected in one media article). From measured exposures, a death rate increase of zero to 0.02 percent (calculated largely from animal studies) would be expected; but not a single death could be confirmed statistically, because the rate after the accident was actually slightly lower than before. Some leukemia cases resulted and were successfully treated.

In my war years with the Manhattan Project at the University of Chicago and Los Alamos, and subsequent radiochemical research throughout my career, I have never seen an accidental radiation injury from exposures substantially greater than those cited above, except for the tragic death of physicist Louis Slotin and his co-worker, who experienced a super-critical neutron emission during a laboratory experiment.

L. Michael Foster

Corvallis

We need WWII spirit to win war in Iraq

In response to Alex Humphrey's July 2 letter, "In Iraq, life keeps getting cheaper":

As a combat veteran, I think I have the responsibility and knowledge to inform him that U.S. soldiers do not get shipped home in "plywood boxes," nor is the soldier's death ever seen as cheap.

Ceremonies are held at every location a soldier's remains are transferred, from leaving the combat zone to their resting place. The military is proud of their soldiers, and their deaths are never degraded. Believe me, the transfer cases (made of metal, and always draped with an American flag), are seen.

The civilian deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan are sad, of course, but they are the target of Muslim extremists who want to be heard. They have our attention.

Extremists prey on the poor and uneducated and make people believe that taking an innocent life is the right thing to do.

Mr. Humphrey asked, "Where is the unity of Americans?" but instead of making this war another Vietnam, it's time to unite and find a way to fix the problem. Some people believe that the war never should have happened, but it did, (maybe due to the lack of yelling before), and it's time to unite and support our troops and rid Iraq of the bloodshed caused by extremism.

Mr. Humphrey wants it to be as it was 40 years ago. Well, I want it to be as it was 65 years ago, when citizens were willing to give up so much for the cause of peace.

Sgt. Scott Balzer

OIF-2, OEF-7 Veteran

Corvallis

List war dead on the front page

Why aren't the casualties of war on the front page? Each dead soldier deserves to be recognized on the front page.

Come on, show deserved acknowledgement to them. Don't forget the injured (physically and mentally) who are coming home. They all should be center front focus to us all. Not somewhere on the back pages.

Sally Pederson

Corvallis

GOP confusing sex with acts of treason

It's sad to hear Republicans try to justify the Scooter Libby "get-out-of-jail-free" pass by saying Bill Clinton lied about sex.

But hypocrisy is part of modern day politics. Like when Newt Gingrich, Henry Hyde and Bob Livingstone led the sex witch hunt against Bill Clinton while they were (or had been) involved in their own sexual indiscretions.

Treason is not part of politics, however. When the campaign was orchestrated by the vice president's office to punish a national security asset because her husband told the truth, that was treason.

When our nation and its political leaders were lied into war based on intentionally misleading statements and manipulated intelligence, that was treason.

The problem today is that too many Republicans have forgotten the difference between sex and treason.

Dennis Marker

Corvallis

Immigration reform a failure of ability

One of the major reasons that the immigration reform bill failed in the Senate was that many Americans had little or no confidence in the government to implement the border security and other law enforcement measures proposed in the bill. Now seems to be a splendid opportunity for the president, Congress and the appropriate agencies to prove that they are capable of aggressively enforcing the measures and laws already in effect but largely unimplemented.

After demonstrating that the border is secure and related laws are being enforced, the weaknesses in the system can accurately be identified and additional measures needed can be identified. Also, the current procedures for processing legal immigrants could be streamlined. Concurrently, accurate data could be generated to assess the kinds and levels of immigration required to benefit the country. The lack of good data was conspicuously lacking for the defeated bill. The overall goal should be to accomplish what's good for America first, and then try to accommodate resident illegals and special interest groups as much as is practicable.

We could have a real test of the president's and Congress' political resolve and fortitude to truly deal with the current immigration failures and weaknesses. Successful completion of the above process would certainly earn the respect of most Americans and foster support for a new bill.

Chuck Lane

Blodgett

Why not publish war dead list daily?

I have noticed that some newspapers list the names of all U.S. Service Personnel that are killed. Do you suppose the Gazette-Times could honor our war dead in this way?

Carol Chapel

Corvallis