Journey Through Change

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A Pirate's Life
Pirate Mohamed "Fingers" Noor says he does not depend on anyone, that when he needs a ship, he takes one [Somalia's Sea Wolves, Aug. 1-8]. How convoluted. He depends on everyone who tries to earn a living transporting goods while employing others. The only thing Fingers is doing himself is proving that he and his confederacy of pirates are human leeches, sucking lifeblood out of numerous industries, creating nothing except havoc.
Jim Pogorelc, MOUNT ISA, AUSTALIA

Spain's Different Sides
Re "Spain's Identity Crisis," [Aug. 1-8]: Lisa Abend says Spain "characterizes itself as conservative, homogeneous and very, very Catholic." Most Spaniards would not describe their society that way. In Spain homosexuals have the same rights as heterosexuals, including marriage and adoption. I don't see that happening in countries like the U.S. anytime soon. No one in Spain is trying to keep the theory of evolution from being taught in schools. Here politicians are not expected to go to church, pray or mention God in their speeches, and nobody cares about their marital issues. There are conservatives in Spain, of course, but to depict our society as a whole as conservative and religious is wrong.
Marta Capote, MADRID

There's More to Turkey
How can the new Turkey (economically strong, touristically charming) be characterized by a little remote manufacturing district of Istanbul populated by immigrant citizens [It Takes a Neighborhood, Aug. 1-8]? With people moving across international borders to make a living, the movement of a nation's own citizens between its cities shouldn't be big news. I suggest you dig deeper into the gray areas to better explain the sociocultural dynamics of modern Turkey.
Zeynep Baktir, ISTANBUL

Indian Advantage
I read with interest your article titled "India's Leading Export: CEOs" [Aug. 1-8]. As someone who grew up in India, then worked with leading American companies for over 15 years in the U.S. and subsequently spent the past four years working in India, I can testify to differences in the corporate makeup and thinking between the two great nations. I have found that Indian CEOs do tend to think bigger, bolder and more long term. They are not satisfied with incremental market share, and anything less than double-digit growth is considered a failure. And they are willing to forgo smaller details and make bigger bets.
Mohit Chandra, NEW DELHI

It is indeed impressive to see so many Indians leading the world's top multinationals. The factors cited, such as their educational background, life experiences and business idiosyncrasies, form a good attempt at explaining their success, but surely there are many other places in the world that are just as or even more conducive to growing outstanding business leaders, even if many fail to do so. Perhaps it's communication that makes the difference. Strong communication skills, highly valued in the West, could ultimately explain why you can find Indians but not Japanese or Chinese leading top global corporations.
Foo Chong-Kim, WAVRE, BELGIUM

The Wisdom of Alan Simpson
Your interview with former Senator Alan Simpson should be required reading for every member of Congress [10 Questions, Aug. 1-8]. As a registered Democrat, I'd vote for Simpson in a heartbeat, because he gets it. Being an elected official is not about signing pledges or just saying no. The intransigence of the men and women we are paying to represent us in Washington is truly un-American.
James M. Coyne, MENDON, N.Y., U.S.