Ex Joint Chiefs

As a near-pacifist, I never thought I would be agreeing with two ex-Joint Chiefs of Staff. But Jones and Crowe are absolutely right when they advise patience with Saddam Hussein to give the economic sanctions time to take effect. Their warning that a first strike against Iraq would only deepen anti-U.S. sentiment in the Arab world, create new tensions and strain the international alliance against Iraq should be taken to heart by both President Bush and Congress. PAT REIF Los Angeles

Retired Army Gen. Henry H. Shelton, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is recovering well from a fall but will need spinal cord surgery, Walter Reed Army Medical Center said Wednesday. Shelton "is showing some gradual improvement" and isn't having any problems with his speech or breathing, a hospital statement said. "He is now able to stand with assistance but is still experiencing weakness in his right leg and both arms," the hospital said.

A controversial proposal by the Senate Armed Services Committee staff to overhaul civilian and military operations of the Pentagon received the qualified endorsement Friday of a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The retired officer, Gen. David C. Jones of the Air Force, said in an interview that the 645-page document "clearly illustrates the great difficulty we've had in military operations where there is a strong need for interservice actions."

Your editorial ("Bush Sends a Clear Signal to Baghdad," Dec. 1) posed the question as to how Hussein can "negotiate a face-saving retreat from Kuwait and avoid war." This is an equally vexing question for the Bush Administration, which, like Hussein, has painted itself in a corner by insisting on complete withdrawal before negotiations can begin. What may be a face-saving retreat for both sides is this: Hussein withdraws all his troops from Kuwait and allows the restoration of the Kuwait government, as the U.N. resolutions demand.