Quotes of the Day

Soldiering On
Adam Ferguson's excellent photography brought it all back home [Oct. 12]. Medevacs removing the wounded, sentries monitoring the perimeter, soldiers shaving with whatever was available — Vietnam all over again. Until the U.S. leadership looks at our history, we will never learn from our mistakes. I was in the eighth grade when the first Tennessee soldier was killed in Vietnam in 1962, and 10 years later I was fortunate to return from service with the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam. Let's hope the decision makers review Ferguson's work while examining the war in Afghanistan.
Bryce Sanders,
Clarksville, Tenn., U.S.

The intimate portrayal of our troops broke my heart. In the 1960s, Pete Seeger wrote, "Where have all the soldiers gone?" and lamented the government's choices: "When will they ever learn?" A lot has changed since Seeger wrote those words, and then again, nothing has changed.
Tracy Leverton,
Vienna, Va., U.S.

Weighing a Plan in Afghanistan
In "Give It Time," Peter Bergen downplays a main requirement for nation-building: significant support from the population [Oct. 12]. He also admits that the Afghan army is still weak. After eight years, when does he expect that it will have the strength and willingness to combat the insurgents — in 10 years, or 20 years? Those of us who served in Vietnam could readily see the same lack of willingness in the South Vietnamese as they mostly refused to put their lives on the line in their war against the North. If the government of a country of 28 million people can't muster enough support to combat 10,000 insurgents, maybe we should be considering other options.
John Uffer,
Denville, N.J., U.S.

It may seem paradoxical but Afghanistan and its neighbors can't afford a pullout or substantial reduction of combat missions by NATO allies. Western allies ought to refocus and realign their strategy by equipping Pakistan's armed forces meaningfully in their fight against rogue elements. Without concrete and sufficient support from Pakistan's forces, NATO and Western allies can't make headway in solving the Afghan puzzle.
Imran Maqbool,
Karachi, Pakistan

Do I Get Credit for That?
Justin Fox's "Get Homes Off Welfare" is quite a stretch [Oct. 12]. Real estate values have plummeted not because of government aid but because of people making poor decisions with their money after being convinced they could buy more than they could afford. My wife and I will be putting our tax credit into improving our new home, thereby injecting that money right back into the economy. Plenty of us are responsible enough to know our limitations and make good decisions with our money. Do not take benefits away from us because of the people who do not.
Brett Konjoian,
Allentown, Pa., U.S.

I am a homeowner and found it staggering that just the mortgage-interest and property-tax deductions amount to $96 billion per year. The elimination of those two deductions alone would virtually pay for health-care reform. I recall the fear expressed when the removal of interest deductions for auto loans and credit cards was first discussed. The bottom did not fall out of those sectors. Nor will it fall out of the housing market.
Peter Remondino,
Scottsdale, Ariz., U.S.

A Lost America
I wholeheartedly agree with Michael Schuman's views in "American Lament" [Oct. 12]. America's influence, reach and power is waning, but on the other hand, we read President Obama's compelling speeches on the Internet, follow the Nasdaq index, and accept the U.S. dollar as a base currency. America might have lost its direction in recent years, but I believe the best is yet to come under Obama's leadership.
Sirinthra Malhotra,
Bangkok, Thailand

I find the essay "American Lament" rather disturbing. In the past year, I've heard enough media reports on China, the next superpower, but I've never seen an article by Chinese media labeling China a superpower, nor do I sense the Chinese government has the intention of taking over the U.S. as the world's sole superpower. Indeed, Chinese people are proud of our country's success, but we have been humble despite all the fuss over China's rise. Insecurity, which is very discernible in Michael Schuman's article, will not disappear by attacking another country's success.
Yang Yang,
Changsha, China