Top Terrorist

Top Terrorist
Re “al-Qaeda’s New Star Rises” [Dec. 16]: Why does the West fail to realize that each time a militant leader of al-Qaeda is killed by drone or other means, more such leaders would evolve and emerge to take over? Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi rises to power naturally, and he must be nursing greater vengeance against the infidel. Targeting and killing terrorist leaders cannot be conceived as the solution for terrorism. Talking and negotiating sincerely could be better ways.
Ibrahim Musa,
Kuala Lumpur

I find it extraordinarily offensive that you can call any al-Qaeda member a star of any kind. This is the darkness and death behind the worst of your dreams.
John McClatchie,
Rawene, New Zealand

Sea Money
Re “Anchors Astray” [Dec. 16]: This made for interesting reading. Once more were we reminded that oodles of cash do not necessarily buy you clear-sightedness. I also marveled at the tact displayed by Leonard Francis in calling his refueling stations “pearl ports.” Pearl harbors would have been a tad evident and cheeky, wouldn’t it?
Edmond Charbonnaz,
Avully, Switzerland

Birth of an Icon
Re “American Idol” [Dec. 16]: Sadly, Lee Iacocca hardly rated a mention as the founder of Ford’s Mustang. Later, Iacocca parted with Ford to commence the rescue of Chrysler, which he did in remarkable fashion.
J.D. Rogers,
Brighton East, Australia

Apple Picking
Re “The Original Wolf of Wall Street” [Dec. 16]: The Carl Icahn photo is rigorously dramatic. He looks like a man who eats nails for breakfast, thumbtacks for lunch and barbed wire for dinner. Congratulations to Platon for depicting the dealmaker in brutal chiaroscuro. I mean this as a compliment, not a pejorative. Tough and pragmatic are good.
Michael Driver,
Ichihara, Japan

Bad Religion
Re Conversation [dec. 16]: I disagree profoundly with the reader who proclaims religion to be the mother of all inventions. On the contrary, religion has been the greatest obstacle to all progress — just think of the suppression of Galileo and Darwin, and the prohibition on using condoms to combat excessive population growth and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Vagn Fentz,
Hjorring, Denmark

Man vs. Wild
Re “Time to Cull the Herd” [Dec. 9]: I do not agree with the story calling wildlife in the U.S. “feral creatures” and “beasts on the rise,” as if this earth were only meant for human beings. Across the world, many species have achieved spectacular increases in populations in recent years and are entering agricultural lands and suburban habitats in search of food and shelter. Payback time, perhaps.
Selvakaran Devasahayam,
Kozhikode, India

We humans are arrogant enough to believe we do not need nature, but as we throw it out of balance, we are only hurting ourselves. All of human existence is but a fleeting second in the history of the world. We have it in our power to extinguish ourselves or to accept that there are forces greater than our own at work.
Barbara Harwood,
Kohimarama, New Zealand

Your article brings good news: public awareness of animal sensibility and effective reinforcement of biodiversity protection are strongly improving the population status of many species. However, population dynamics is still unbalanced. I am not sure that it is up to us to restore this balance! On the contrary, natural predation should step in.
Harry Mardulyn,
Wibrin, Belgium

‘Starchitects’ Lose Luster
Re “Innovation by Design” [Dec. 9]: I am reminded about the current international desire to have a “starchitect” design in most developing Westernized cities. Although Zaha Hadid’s early work was forward-thinking and revolutionary, currently the projects are overrated, overpriced sculptural gimmicks that are contextless and individualistic.
Stuart Morgan,
London