Partnering with Pakistan

  • In "Frenemies" [May 23], Aryn Baker suggests that Pakistan needs some show of support to rebuild its trust in the U.S. Why isn't the aid we send enough? And why is it assumed that Pakistan is the only side that needs, and deserves, some reassurance? Considering that the world's most wanted man was living — barely even hiding — in plain sight for five years in their country, I think a show of support from the Pakistanis is what is needed. Let them prove to us that what they really want is to be our allies, because that's not the message that I'm getting so far.
    Alexandra Pochert, KENTWOOD, MICH., U.S.

    Pakistan is a mess. However, the U.S. cannot absolve itself completely from the disarray. After Pakistan served our interests in getting Soviet forces out of Afghanistan, it was abandoned and left to deal with the postwar chaos. Pakistan must revamp itself and correct its wrongdoings, but concurrently the U.S. must acknowledge that its shortsightedness added to Pakistan's woes. Redemption is possible with a true commitment to resolving problems and not merely placing a Band-Aid on them.
    Mansura Bashir Minhas, MIAMI

    I am disappointed that Baker's article states that India has contributed to Pakistan's paranoia by massing troops on its border. What choice does India have but to maintain sufficient troops to safeguard our long porous borders and to combat terrorism, especially in Kashmir and other troubled regions?
    Mohan Sreenivasan, MUMBAI

    Who'll Stop the Rain?
    Michael Grunwald states that the increased frequency of severe floods of the Mississippi River "could be a symptom of global warming, although there's not yet proof" [Who Controls the Mighty River? May 23]. It is a fact that humans have created a warmer planet by burning fossil fuels, and a direct result of this warming is increased, episodic, heavy rainfall that leads to flooding. The debate on global warming is no longer a debate. Please don't suggest that the science is inconclusive, as it breeds passivity at the exact moment we need the energetic engagement of everyone on the planet to avert a climate disaster.
    Felicia Taghizadeh, 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., U.S.

    It is time to remove the Army Corps of 
 Engineers from its position of responsibility for rivers, lakes and flood control. The Air Force does not manage air transportation, the Navy does not manage seaports, and the Army does not manage highway systems or road transportation. Even though many corps employees are civilians, the chiefs are still professional soldiers educated primarily at the U.S. Military Academy. Establish a purely civilian organization with true professionals.
    Robert C. Tugwell, Lieut. Colonel (ret.), U.S. ARMY, BELTON, S.C., U.S. , belton, s.c., u.s.

    My Generation, Baby
    As a soon-to-be voter (I am 17), I appreciated "The Cool Kid" on presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman [May 23]. It is nice to see a serious Republican candidate among all those in the GOP opting for fearmongering and swift-boating. It will be especially pleasing to see how Huntsman's personality as a calm, levelheaded, worldly person interacts with President Obama's in the election. Finally, a moderate Republican. Who knew?
    Zach Clifton, BEL AIR, MD., U.S.

    Thanks for the much needed information on Huntsman. Perhaps he will be the Republican candidate with enough intelligence and sanity to enable a civil discussion on the priorities of our country and offer realistic ways to address them.
    Italo Sinopoli, CANTON, OHIO, U.S.

    The Wage Gap
    Re Rana Foroohar's "The 100% Solution" [May 23]: As a former stay-at-home dad, I can say that when women earn the same pay as men, it frees us from the burden of shouldering an imbalanced portion of the family finances. It provides men with the time to be more involved with their families and allows women to pursue more lucrative careers. Over time, this creates a shift of consciousness, making the world more tolerable and functional.
    Melvin Weiner, KENNEBUNK, MAINE, U.S.

    It isn't, or shouldn't be, that mothers who also work outside the home have something to prove. They have something to do — a job at the office and a job at home. The price can be high, but we do it all, and well. Man up, guys! We did!
    Joan Messinger, LOS ANGELES

    In the E.U., women on average earn 18% less per hour than men do. How can we 
 accept such social injustice? The article says some economists believe that the average woman in the U.S. and Western Europe will outearn her male peers by 2024, but pay parity will not just drop from the sky. Only the mobilization of discriminated women can put an end to such unfairness.
    Oliver Slattery, RENNES, FRANCE