Conversation

What you said about…

Saving Sergeant Bergdahl

Re “no soldier left behind” [June 16]: It is very easy to pick holes with the decision of President Obama to free Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl if you are not his parents. The life of every soldier is important. The sacrifice they continue to make is enormous. Even if Bergdahl is a deserter, every good American should show him love. I can only congratulate the President for taking such a bold but painful decision.That is why Americans elected him.

Kester Ekekwe,
Lagos, Nigeria

Yes, Bergdahl’s life was worth being saved. In fact, every life is worth being saved when we have the means to do so, no matter the cost or what is at stake—just ask his family. The real question is, Why is a U.S. Army sergeant’s life more valuable than, say, a little Syrian girl’s? If the policy is “no one left behind,” then we need to take those “left behind” in the geopolitical equation into account as well and assume more responsibility. Then we’ll have a world that is worth living in.

Daniel Solioz,
Savièse, Switzerland

The real question is whether a country, without full knowledge of the facts and in the absence of official proceedings, can ever be justified in disowning one of its own citizens. If Bergdahl is indeed guilty of desertion, surely justice is best served by his return to the U.S. Obama has shown strong leadership in taking this potentially unpopular decision, and not only has he secured the release of an American citizen, he’s also five steps closer to closing Gitmo.

James Gardner,
Kings Langley, England

Sergeant Bergdahl is my hero. There would be no more wars if all soldiers had the courage to do what he did.

Pieter E. Claassen,
Stellenbosch, South Africa

Off to the Races

Re “the myth of inevitability” [June 16]: Hillary Clinton will go for the 2016 presidency and eventually walk into the White House. She has the charisma, competency and capability. Naturally, the Republicans would be all out to tarnish
her image in every possible way. But my journalist friends and I know she can overcome all odds to materialize her
dream. We wish her luck.

Miko Isetan,
Kobe, Japan

I, for one, have had more than enough of reading about the 2016 U.S. presidential race. Rather than worrying or debating about who are going to be the candidates and subsequently the next President, the U.S. should be concerned with reforming its unwieldy, clunky political system, which is the subject of bewilderment and increasing derision to the rest of us. Perhaps that may empower the President to do the job he or she is theoretically elected to do.

Ed Roggeveen,
Huntly, New Zealand

King and Country

Re “a fillip for spain” [June 16]: Spain has been heavily weighed down by its economic woes and jobless problems in the past several years. Compounded by a youth unemployment rate near 50%, Madrid gets duller and more insipid. Will the installation of new King Felipe inject a dose of excitement to Spain? One would hesitate to draw any conclusion, for not many people in Europe (let alone the world) would salute the monarchy system that has gradually become obsolete, inconsequential and even a huge burden in some instances.

Chaan Zizenn,
Sydney

Young Love

Re “topic of cancer” [June 16]: The moving journey of two young people suffering from cancer, who fall in love but decide to put their love for each other before anything else, can easily be degraded to a shallow love story like so many others. A lot of times, film adaptations of impressive books like The Fault in Our Stars cannot live up to readers’ expectations. But having read this article, I am pretty confident that this one will at least live up to mine. It will also hopefully broaden
people’s horizons about cancer by showing them a glimpse of how it affects young patients.

Julia Grassl,
Westerhofen, Germany