WHEN MY father, Tip O’Neill, became House majority whip in the early 1970s, he began to lead congressional delegations each year during the Easter recess. He chose not to take members of the foreign affairs committee, but rather senior members of Congress (and some up-and-comers) who had no international responsibilities. He wanted them to have some acquaintance with foreign leaders and their perspectives.
I believe it is in this spirit that Representative Michael Capuano has taken the time to travel to numerous countries during his tenure. So I was surprised to read the Oct. 10 article criticizing his travel (“Capuano trips raise profile, questions,’’ Page A1). In particular, the article cited a trip the congressman made to Singapore, Vietnam, and Taiwan. No disrespect intended to Taiwan, but I have been there, and I do not consider it a garden spot. Given the US history with Vietnam, it is important that members of Congress visit there.
As for Scot Lehigh’s Oct. 14 op-ed column “Where in the world is Capuano?’’: What in the world could Lehigh have been thinking? Does he appreciate the strategic significance of Morocco? That country is in the throes of redefining itself, with one third of its people pushing for modernization, one third for Islamic fundamentalism, and one third debating which way to go. Morocco’s future has tremendous implications for the rest of North Africa and for Southern Europe.
I commend Capuano for taking the time, over and above his duties on his domestic affairs committees, to become better informed.
Rosemary O’Neill
Harwich Port 
