PUBLIC FORUM : EXPLAIN TO THEM.

When the F-117 was shot down, before it could be used for propaganda purposes or, most importantly, the top secret instruments could be given to the Russians, why didn't we send a missile or fighter planes to go after this top secret plane and destroy it on the ground?

The other thing I keep hearing about is the people in Belgrade are really upset that NATO is bombing them. The Yugoslavian government controls the press so the people do not know why we are bombing them. It certainly would be a good idea if we would flood the city with leaflets involving documental pictures and an explanation of what has caused their government to move people out of Kosovo and the killing of helpless people.

I would even suggest dropping videocassettes to the people, and just maybe they will not support their government. Just one of our multimillion-dollar missiles would more than pay for this activity.

- Frank Jacobs

Sylmar

Stealth not invisible

It always amazes me when people who have zero knowledge about things expound upon the same things, i.e., the F-117. First of all, Paul Cooper (Public Forum, April 5), you need to understand what ``stealth'' means. It does not mean invisible to radar. Stealth technology means ``low observability,'' a big difference.

Indeed, even if it were possible to build an attack aircraft that was invisible to radar and the human eye, it could still get shot down. In a place such as Kosovo, there are limited ingress and egress routes that can be flown, and the country is not all that big, and they do have a robust air defense. So if every time you are getting attacked, you shoot all your AAA directed at these routes, eventually you will be lucky enough to bag one and with a little luck even shoot one down with a SAM.

Also the F-117s go after the highest value targets and, as a result, the most protected targets. I think that if you look at the tactical record of the F-117 over the past eight years, it speaks for itself. To put it in layman's terms, a single F-117, unescorted, can do more than a complete wing of WWII heavy bombers, with less cost and risk to the crew and for that matter collateral damage.

- L. Gorney

Van Nuys

Take another look

I have never seen more one-sided propaganda being delivered by the national news media then I have seen during the last two weeks regarding the crisis in the Kosovo province of Serbia.

Let us not forget, this is a result of a civil war started by the Kosovo Liberation Front against the government of Serbia and Yugoslavia with the intent of separation.

We have been treated to picture after picture after story of the refugees from Kosovo. What about the terrorism caused by the KLA - the bombed churches, displaced persons? We have had stories of genocide, with no proof other than stories from refugees. Genocide is what happened to the Jews and others in WW II in the German-occupied areas. If there was genocide, there would be no refugees - they would be dead.

Albania has had one of the most repressive governments over the last 40 years. Remember, Albania was a firm ally of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, at the time when Mr. Tito was denouncing the policies of Stalin and his successors.

It is time we had some balanced reporting, showing both sides of the conflict.

- Jonathan F. Legg

Northridge

Lack of accountability

Re ``The Daily Bungle'' (April 4)'':

Excellent article! It outlined the lack of accountability and control the City Council has over the city departments and how poorly informed they are about how the departments are operating.

And to think that some council members and top bureaucrats felt that no changes were necessary to run the city more efficiently.

Now, the Daily News should publish the salaries we pay our top managers and politicians to mess things up.

If this is an example of how they are going to oversee the bond measure, forget it. Vote no.

- Art Camarillo

Los Angeles

BID not deal

The formation of a Business Improvement District in Reseda is a fraud. There is no ``vote'' for the BID. It is formed automatically unless 50 percent of the business owners register their protests by filing a form with the city clerk. This form was not included with the official BID notice, and the city cannot prove that all businesses were notified because notices were sent via regular mail.

The BID does not include businesses on Vanowen Street, nor those on streets in the heart of the business district. Presumably these businesses would receive the ``benefits'' of the BID, so why aren't they paying?

Inevitably, the BID will pass because there is no reasonable chance that the city will receive enough ``protests'' within the time limit. The BID committee knows this, as does Councilwoman Laura Chick, but they don't care. It's ludicrous to hear council members and Mayor Riordan lamenting that businesses in Los Angeles are overtaxed, while allowing this tax increase through.

Reseda businesses cater to a diverse ethnic community with products and services they need. A BID will not lure upscale shoppers here. Owners who seek a different clientele should consider relocation instead of forcing their neighbors to ante up hard-earned dollars to support their marketing schemes.

It's a bad deal for everyone else. I urge all business owners to register their protest with the city clerk.

- Jerry Burg

Reseda

A dog's life

I would like to reply to ``Move over Rover,'' (March 26):

As a dog owner, I agree there are times and places where they do not belong. In some respect, people should not disobey the law. However, what to feed and how much to spend should be a matter of choice.

Homeless people have a lot of programs to feed and help them.

My $5 spent on a toy would not make a difference. Look at the gifts given in congratulation - some are quite expensive.

Remember, dogs are not always cared for very well. Sometimes, they're even abused. Next time around, leave me the same.

- V. Villard

Sunland

Torched the bond

As we know, the passage of the 1999 Public Safety Bond Measure was tenuous at best. Mayor Richard Riordan traveled the Valley on March 31 in an attempt to resuscitate the passage of Bond 1.

The Los Angeles Fire Department executed the bond measure with its April Fools' Day mailing to the property owners. The LAFD virtually buried any hope they might have had for new fire stations. They probably added the last incendiary device needed to fuel Valley secession from the city of Los Angeles.

The most ludicrous of all was to ``Make check payable to: The City of Los Angeles.'' Who will track the money? It will slush into the General Fund, won't it? Who will manage it? Who will be responsible? Where is the safeguard? Where is the oversight committee? If my calculations are correct, $48,600.00 was spent on this mailing, and an identical amount will be spent on the blunder mailing. Captain Paul Quagliata, commander of the brush clearance unit, has ``requested additional phone lines be installed.'' Who will pay for those? How about those homeowners who already paid this fine? Will they get a refund?

A paramedic ambulance crew couldn't save this bond measure.

- Ellie Vargas

Woodland Hills

Reckoning Reagan

Re R.C. Vaughn's March 3 letter to the editor in which he all but deifies Ronald Reagan:

Vaughn claims that Reagan was responsible for ending the Cold War and bringing down the Berlin Wall. What Vaughn neglected to mention was that Reagan fought meeting with the leaders of the ``evil empire'' (his own words) every step of the way; but of course, once the Cold War ended and the wall finally did come down, Reagan predictably took credit for it. I think the biggest laugh I got was over Vaughn's belief that Reagan ``triggered the economic boom that Clinton is getting credit for.'' Vaughn really should get his facts straight: The truth is that under Reagan's and Bush's terms, the country plunged deeply into recession; it's only under Clinton's presidency that the economy has begun to flourish again. Vaughn also conveniently overlooks the fact that under Reagan the national deficit went up literally into the trillions and the gap between the rich and the poor became wider than ever. Is this Vaughn's idea of ``America walking tall''?

The bottom line is that Reagan did more damage to this country than any other president in years; damage that will take many years to completely undo.

- Elaine K. Nelson

Panorama City

What it's all about

Citizen taxpayers should not be forced to provide services to illegal aliens. That's what Proposition 187 is all about.

Proposition 187 should be allowed to go to the Supreme Court. Gov. Gray Davis should keep his word to see that it does.

- Ellen Erickson

Santa Monica

CAPTION(S):

photo

PHOTO Yugoslav television broadcast this picture of a downed Air Force F-117A stealth fighter.

Yugoslav TV