It is surprising to see an eloquent humanitarian uncritically accept the need for the destruction in Iraq. His need to lash back at his domestic detractors may have clouded his assessment of how the war was conducted. He has shown what a leader can do when he ignores the bounds of conventional wisdom and pursues his own broader sense of what is possible. As Shevardnadze resumes his old post, it is hard to say what it will mean to be foreign minister in the crumbling Soviet Union. But we can be sure that he will bring a spirit of creativity and independence to the job.
Few topics divide scientists more than that of the human effects of low doses of ionizing radiation.
In Radiation-Induced Cancer from LowDose Exposure, John Gofman, an activist and scientist with the Committee for Nuclear Responsibility, argues that no level of radiation exposure is safe. His reasoning, and the criticisms he offers regarding the ongoing study of atomic bomb survivors, should provoke more discussion. The first 25 chapters of Gofman's work contain his major points and supporting data. They are followed by 12 chapters of additional data and discussion. This text, amply illustrated with 113 tables and figures, explains not only his arguments, but their bases.