Inbox

Scandal at the BBC
The major crisis at the BBC analyzed in your article was a disaster waiting to happen [“Do Not Adjust Your Set,” Nov. 26]. The BBC is very different today from the noble wartime organization as remembered by some. It is a left-wing, biased and arrogant organization sustained over the years by an extortionate annual license fee. Without paying, we aren’t allowed to operate a television set in the U.K.
Tony Martin,
London

There is in British organizations a tendency to close ranks, the thinking being “We want to avoid a scandal” or “Leave it to us, and we will deal with it.” Entities like to deal with matters internally. We see this being exposed today with the British press, the banks and the BBC. This outdated attitude is gradually breaking down, though it is still rampant.
David Morgan-Davies,
St.-Germain De Clairefeuille, France

When an institution grows too big and too strong for too long, it gets complacent and takes things for granted. This is happening to the BBC. Catherine Mayer correctly states that the BBC crisis is of its own making. The time has come for the broadcaster to reinvent itself and morph into a brand-new image, the sooner the better.
B.T. Spencer,
London

Dangerous Liaisons
Your portrayal of David Petraeus’ fall from grace left me scratching my head [“Spyfall,” Nov. 26]. What abilities, skills and qualifications made Petraeus rise to the career positions he achieved? Why is such a personal matter of national consequence? If I understand correctly, no secrets were disclosed, and the country was never in danger. Shouldn’t the international community be focusing on real intelligence issues?
Martina Reuter,
Nuremberg, Germany

After reading this story, I am more convinced than ever that socialites are more dangerous to the security of the U.S. than socialists will ever be.
Jean-Marie Frère,
Nandrin, Belgium

Disputed Protests
Fareed Zakaria’s article “The China Syndrome” [Nov. 26] is concise and informative, but it is very misleading to say both Japan and China have dealt with riots and protests over the disputed islands. It is not in both countries that riots have taken place; it is only in China that protesters have turned violent, vandalizing and looting Japanese stores and businesses. We are stunned to see such a barbaric outburst of anti-Japan sentiment raging through China.
Mutsuko Hayashi,
Kanagawa, Japan

Himmler’s Family
This article was a shock to see but only because I was not expecting it [“10 Questions for Katrin Himmler,” Nov. 26]. As a Jew, history teacher and veteran, I study that period in history, and I teach it to my students, all at-risk inner-city kids, so they can understand a very dark time on our planet. Thank you, Katrin, for speaking up. My family prays for you.
Craig M. Bozorth,
Miami

Himmler’s reply that “it’s not helpful to separate the world into good and bad after generations but that it is necessary to speak with the other side” reflects many ills afflicting the world today as consequences of keeping alive centuries-old prejudices.
M.A. Bhura,
Karachi

Big Brother in Moscow
Simon Shuster’s article reads like an Orwellian novel [“Inside Putin’s Russia,” Nov. 26]. From the Petraeus scandal to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, we witness how privacy is but a comforting idea. Modernity has brought with it technology and progress, but it has also given birth to tools that can be used by those who see freedom as a menace to their power. Freedom is the dog, and Big Brother has the leash.
Andrés Volpe,
Berlin

The Way Joel Sees It
Joel Stein’s contribution on the Petraeus affair in the Awesome Column made me see once again that it is just that — awesome [“Clear Eyes, Cold Heart, Can’t Lose,” Nov. 26]. With his wit and dry humor, he manages time and again to present new aspects to a topic that seems to have already been looked at from all possible angles.
Katharina Leihser,
Rohrendorf Bei Krems, Austria

Whereas Petraeus was schooled in the military focusing on physical strength and following commands, Stein seems to have been raised in the street, where a good measure of mental exercise, questioning and an understanding of how things work in the bigger world are also essential. So perhaps, for Petraeus anyway, it is a pity that Stein’s column was not published a few years ago.
Mike Meiring,
Johannesburg

Re “Voting with the 1%” [Nov. 19]: I don’t often agree with Stein, but one line in his article rang so very true: “No one expects free stuff as much as superrich people.”
Kern Tilley,
Manteca, Calif., U.S.