Letter: This is no way to protect Kosovars

Sir: Living in the United States, there seems to me an odd contradiction. Many people championing the use of military force for "humanitarian" reasons are the same people ardently opposed to programmes providing money for the basic needs of our own poorest citizens.

Granted, there is no parallel to genocide, and the problems faced by residents of the United Sates or England do not compare with the horror faced by those living in Kosovo. But the basic question is the same: is there a moral obligation for the rich and the strong to care for those who are suffering and cannot help themselves?

Remembering our inaction on so many similar occasions, and knowing how indifferent the United States is in moving beyond words on most "humanitarian" causes, I do have to wonder how many of our leaders are really concerned for the lives of those in Kosovo, and how many are simply excited to sit in front of a television and watch expensive bombs explode in the night.

MARK ALLEN HUNT

Atlanta, Georgia, USA