To the editor:

It’s difficult to believe the audacity/gall/cheek/chutzpah of President Bush when he lectures the United Nations about what it should and should not do, even though our country is notoriously behind in supporting the U.N. As I understand, in 1999, the U.S. owed more than $1 billion in dues. It’s notoriously difficult to find out what we owe now (an e-mail query to one of our Kansas senators, for example, was not answered).

Thanks to the reference department at Kansas University’s Watson Library, I relay that as of Jan. 1, 2002, the U.S. owed more than $190 million in dues to the U.N. (Source: UN library, dhlunsa@un.org). I know not the current figure, and invite someone to find a more current update.

Bunker Clark,

Lawrence