Is bombing another country no longer to be considered an act of war? The rationale on the news item given by the man at the podium was that we sent the bombs from the no-fly zone, so that was all right. Most of our arsenal of offensive weapons is designed to be launched from a distance. Does that make them acts of peace?

I was horrified that Colin Powell, even before he was officially approved, made statements that he felt we should take firmer steps against Saddam Hussein; not even approved and making war decisions. If we were to be attacked from a distance, from a neutral or no-fly zone, would we take it as an act delivered in peacetime? Are there any treaties that we still honor?

Has everyone forgotten all the near misses and mistakes of the recent war efforts? If we have, the world has not, and reportage in international papers shows a lessening in our credibility.

Barbara Larson

Brooksville