Inbox

The Progress Report
You asked “How Much Longer?” for the war in Iraq [Sept. 17]. My question is, How do you get out of quicksand when you are in it up to your waist? It doesn’t take a four-star general to see that the fanatical enemy simply has to sit back and wait. When we withdraw soldiers, the counterinsurgents and terrorists can resume their attacks. We all know that there are thousands of young men who are ready to martyr themselves so they can enter paradise. And if we ever completely pull out of Iraq, corruption and civil war will continue until the country inevitably becomes another Iran. Let’s declare victory now and get the hell out.
John J. Grimes,
Watertown, Mass., U.S.

It now seems established that the Iraq adventure — including the surge — has been a disaster for the U.S. Nothing tangible has been gained by either the Americans or the Iraqi people except getting rid of the tyrant Saddam Hussein. The endeavor of forcing democracy on the faction-torn Iraqi society does not seem likely to succeed. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see that the U.S. invasion of Iraq was a tactical mistake and that the loss of American lives and resources has been in vain. It would be wise for the U.S. to cut its losses instead of sit on false pride and sink deeper into the quagmire.
Ajit P. Singh,
Ludhiana, India

The administration has tried to acceler-ate nation building in Iraq, evidently ignoring history and human nature and forgetting our own long struggle to truly become “one from many.” If the Iraqis are nowhere near forming a united country, perhaps letting them settle into states partitioned according to ethnic and religious differences is the most practical and humane policy available. Maybe someday the better angels of the Iraqis’ natures may bring them closer to union, but American blood and treasure are not bottomless resources for propping up a largely fictive nation.
Steve McGreal,
Chicago

Remembering 9/11
I appreciated Jeffrey Kluger’s article about commemorating 9/11 [Sept. 17]. We should never forget what happened that day, and we still need to resolve the serious issues of rebuilding and, to our shame, taking care of health and property damage. But in a country that celebrates its birth with discount sales and virtually ignores the ending dates of the two World Wars, the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks needs to be put into perspective. People who lost loved ones will have grieved and marked the occasion in their own way, as they should. For the rest of the nation, Sept. 11 should have been a day to look at the calendar, reflect for a moment — and then go to work.
Mike Cook,
Wayne, N.J., U.S.

Reading the names of every victim of the 9/11 tragedy at the anniversary memorial is ridiculous. This country has a nauseating habit of sensationalizing every event with a fervor that borders on fanaticism. We all grieve for the victims of tragedies, but there comes a time when we must be left to our own manner of grieving. Splashing memorial ceremonies throughout the media only dredges up sorrow, which we hardly need at this time in our country’s sorry state. If we could bring such passion to the truly important issues, we could forge a better future. Let’s move on.
Patricia Green,
Columbia, Mo., U.S.

Even from across the expanse of the Pacific Ocean, we remember and pray for those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and for those who survived. We sympathize with the bereaved families. We should continue to remember 9/11 to remind ourselves of man’s cruelty to man and to make us ponder why.
Eleuterio P. Ong Vaño,
Cebu City, The Philippines

Burma’s Persistent Problems
Thank you for reporting on Burma and helping make the world aware of the country’s problems [Sept. 17]. As good as your article was, there is no way to fully describe to the world the difficult circumstances under which the average Burmese citizen lives. I lived in Rangoon with my family in the late ’70s and early ’80s, so I know how bad the situation was then, and I realize it has gotten much worse. Even though we left Burma almost 25 years ago, our hearts are still there.
Sally Nance,
Franklin, Tenn., U.S.

Messing with the Mekong
The Mighty Mekong, one of the longest rivers in Asia, presents many opportunities for harnessing hydroelectric power [Sept. 10]. In a developing country like China, with its insatiable appetite for energy, the Mekong naturally offers a valuable resource. But the construction of more and more dams adversely affects the ecosystem and damages the livelihood of river-dependent people. And in neglecting to consult its neighbors and ignoring the plight of its people, China cannot shed its image of arrogance. That could be detrimental to peace in the region in the long run.
John B.T. Spencer,
Singapore

With God on Their Side
In “God as their Running Mate,” Michael Kinsley said that, for him, anyone who believes in the literal truth of religious texts is “too credulous to be President” [Sept. 17]. That would apply to a number of our past Presidents. It sounds like Kinsley thinks you can’t be a good President unless you are in line with Kinsley’s personal preferences.
Robert Gibbons,
Alexandria, Va., U.S.

I guess Kinsley fears that literal-minded Jewish leaders would ban pork and Catholics would outlaw birth control. And Muslims? Presumably he thinks they would promote terrorism, of course. Fortunately, the majority of Americans are clever enough to see beyond stereotypes. Great leaders successfully balance morality, democracy and freedom of choice, regardless of religious faith.
J.P. Wirig,
Walnut Creek, Calif., U.S.