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Our stories on the military and political career of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon prompted some to praise him as a defender of Israel and others to label him an obstacle to peace in the Middle East

Perhaps there will be a better chance for peace for Israel after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has left politics [Jan. 16]. How can anyone forget Sharon's "indirect" responsibility for the killing of Palestinian civilians in Lebanon's Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in 1982? Those who believe that Sharon's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza was a peace initiative need to think again. Yes, he was pragmatic and confronted extremist Jewish settlers; however, he did not demonstrate enough of the goodwill needed to win over the Palestinians.
Saleh A. Mubarak
Seffner, Florida, U.S.

Territorial integrity and the safety of the people are always a prime concern for the leader of any country. Sharon became symbolic of the true soldier, a warrior and an aspirant for peace. He remains an undaunted hero, but no individual is indispensable. Israel has no dearth of successors to Sharon.
K.C. Subhash Chandra
Bangalore, India

The Making of a Scandal
Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff was not "The Man Who Bought Washington," as your headline said [Jan. 16]. No one can raise enough money to do that. In my 23 years of staff work in the U.S. House of Representatives, I never knew of a member who could be bought. But there were always a few around who could be rented for a time. There was a simple test in the offices where I worked: if something offered to us could also be given to the average person—a pencil, calendar, ballpoint pen—we could accept it. If something was offered to us because we worked in Congress, we turned it down. Football tickets, meals in expensive restaurants or golf outings like Abramoff paid for are not offered free of charge to the average person.
Gary K. Madson
Lancaster, Virginia, U.S.

It is shameful that lobbyist Abramoff was able to buy Washington, but it is truly reprehensible that members of Congress took part in the sale.
Priscilla Brown
Cedar Falls, Iowa, U.S.

Unchecked Presidential Power
Klein's criticism of the democrats was way off the mark [Jan. 16]. Liberals want to track down the bad guys as much as anybody. But government officials have to get a warrant before they start wiretapping! Klein surmises that a majority of Americans would favor the National Security Agency's bugging program "if its details were declassified and made known." Is he advocating blind trust in Big Brother, or does he know something the rest of us don't? Maybe someone should be tapping Klein's phone.
Philip Duval
Hamburg, Germany

Music You Can Use
"The Power of Mozart" described how listening to the composer's music can help "treat ailments ranging from acne to Alzheimer's disease and even, it is claimed, make you and your kids smarter" [Jan. 16]. It is ironic that while Mozart's compositions are used for the purpose of healing, it is alleged that Eminem's rapping and ranting are used by the U.S. to torture prisoners in detention camps in Afghanistan. Truly, music has crossed any boundaries we humans had envisioned for it.
Jeanette Rodrigues
Karnataka, India