Mail Call: Russia’s Power Play

As I read Jacob Weisberg's excellent essay, I was struck by the enormous responsibility U.S. citizens face when they go to the polls this November. Rarely has the world held such a stake in the outcome of America's presidential election. Weisberg correctly opines that a win for Barack Obama would "see our legacy of slavery, segregation and racism in the rearview mirror," but that his defeat may signify that "our children will grow up thinking of equal opportunity as a myth." Obama's defeat for the wrong reasons may also demonstrate that the tragic deaths of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were in vain. These brave and visionary men charted an end to segregation and brought dignity, justice and hope to Americans regardless of color. When Americans go to the polls, I hope they vote for the best man to lead America back to its pedestal of honor and respect around the world while leading its people to a fairer and happier time. No one should reject Obama because he is black, just as they should not vote for him simply because he is black. And they shouldn't reject the decent John McCain simply because of his age. He might make great contributions by sharing his life experiences and hope for the future. American voters need to think carefully and objectively because the outcome is important not only to America but to the rest of the world.
Liam Kenny
Sydney, Australia

A New President in Pakistan
I was flabbergasted to read Asif Ali Zardari's interview ("Second Chances in Pakistan," The Last Word, Sept. 1). He replaced Gen. Pervez Musharraf as president of Pakistan, and I'm afraid that after coming out of the shadow of his late wife, Benazir Bhutto, he is the wrong choice to do things better than Musharraf. Pakistan has been plagued with power plays and intrigue between the political rivals Nawaz Sharif and the Army generals and Inter-Services Intelligence. Needless to say, the Army would grab power if the present coalition fell apart due to power play between the two leading political parties, leading the country into instability and lack of law and order. Democracy is a luxury that Pakistan cannot afford under these corrupt leaders, who have had their chances before and failed on all counts.
Syed Rashid Ali Shah
Vroomshoop, Netherlands

With Asif Ali Zardari as president, a new era has begun in Pakistan's history. This president will have a great impact on the lives of the people and on the region. I am not his biggest fan, but this is not the time for personal likes and dislikes. It's time to unite with the politicians and work to take this country out of its downward spiral. As a politician, Zardari has had success so far. But the real test has begun, and I cannot say whether he will be successful as a president. He must take each step with great care, as there's no room for mistakes.
Haris Shahid
Karachi, Pakistan

President Zardari has all the blessings of his late wife. The huge sympathy for Benazir Bhutto finally catapulted him to the pinnacle of power. The economy of Pakistan is bleeding from every corner and is near collapse. The political scene appears no better. Incessantly hit by bombings and bloodshed, the nation is almost out of control. The situation in the border region with Afghanistan worsens by the day, and the fluid truce in Kashmir could be shattered at any moment. Combine that with his equivocal background, and Zardari holds a virtually impossible task in his hands. It will be a miracle if he can eventually unite the conflicting political and ideological groups and revive the ailing economy in his country. If he does not measure up to his job, the "victory for democracy" may well be short-lived. Let's hope for the best.
Munn-Zie Chan
Singapore

As the intensity of U.S. involvement in Iraq is winding down, President George W. Bush appears to be opening a new front in the war on terror: unauthorized incursions into Pakistan, purportedly to attack Qaeda strongholds. Notwithstanding any legitimate need to target those who would harm us, Bush is courting another disaster with these operations. Imagine what our reaction would be if Canada sent troops into the United States to go after those it deemed a threat. We would be enraged, and would ensure that the effort was squelched. I'm not sure Bush cares that we are fomenting war with the sovereign nation of Pakistan and reinforcing the idea that we are an imperialist nation that operates as if it has carte blanche to perform military operations anywhere, for any reason it deems compelling.
Oren M. Spiegler
Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania

Nuclear Energy for Germany?
Your article on Germany's challenge to match climate-change objectives with energy-security concerns is both timely and relevant the world over ("The Radioactive Energy Plan," Aug. 18/ Aug. 25). But it was misleading for you to state that the International Energy Agency has called for "a triple-pronged strategy" to fight climate change involving efficiency improvements, a switch to renewable energy and nuclear power. While the IEA acknowledges that all these options will be needed, it also emphasizes the vital role of carbon-capture-and storage (CCS) technology in tackling CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. The head of the IEA, Nobuo Tanaka, has stated that the "deployment of CCS should be a 'litmus' test for the seriousness of environmental negotiators dealing with the climate challenge." IEA research has also revealed that trying to tackle climate change without CCS is much more expensive, with the potential to cost an additional $1.28 trillion annually by 2050. CCS must be part of any serious climate-change strategy. A "triple-pronged strategy" is not nearly enough.
Milton Catelin, Chief Executive-world coal institute
London, England