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Juggling Work and Baby
Thank you for your article on "Stressed Out Dads" [April 16]. I am a man who has worked in Tokyo for 48 years and embraced the old networking business culture. It became disappointing for me to see young male co-workers spend their precious time on family matters, but your story was an eye-opener. I realize that I am a living anachronism and that changing social structures mean young men ought to lead family lives filled with hope and love.
Masaaki Otani,
Tadotsu, Japan

You accurately and succinctly portrayed the quandary faced by a good number of Asian fathers who are torn between career and family [April 16]. The dilemma is accentuated when both husband and wife are working. But there are ways to circumvent this problem. For a start, technology has allowed employers to be more flexible about when and where employees work. By cutting time spent traveling and sitting in dreary meetings, dads and moms can share more time with their children. And perhaps couples should resist the tendency to form nuclear families and go back to living in good old extended families, with three or more generations coexisting happily under a single roof. In that setting grandparents would help with household chores, granting parents more free time to share with their kids. If such changes were made, might there be fewer stressed-out dads?
Boon Tee Tan,
Kemaman, Malaysia

My father worked a full-time job in Yokosuka and later in Yokohama, but always had time for my mother, brother and me because work ended at the stipulated time. When Asian men put their wives and children ahead of their office, and employers heed work hours, marriage will be worthwhile and there'll be more happy spouses and children.
Michael G. Driver,
Ichihara, Japan

Taming Terrorism's Reign
Thank you for the unbiased, informative article summarizing the civil conflict in Sri Lanka [April 16]. Although I have spent virtually my whole life in the U.S., I am of Sri Lankan-Tamil origin and have long been dismayed by the American stereotype of Tamil Tigers as terrorists as well as other misunderstandings. There are extremely sad events occurring on both sides of the war, and I thank you for bringing this to light. It's about time. I have been to the north of Sri Lanka and have seen the immense suffering of many Tamil people. Thanks for writing the truth.
Shoumi Jeyarajah,
Friedrichshafen, Germany

The tragedy of the Sinnathambi family is not unique. Civilian casualties and displacement can occur in any armed conflict, whether the guise is ethnic or religious strife. Once a dispute becomes full-blown war, the weapons industry takes over by supplying arms to both sides of the dividing line. This is a major reason for prolonged conflicts, and in this regard the action of the U.S. government to prevent weapons from reaching the L.T.T.E. is commendable.
Jayantha Guruge,
Davis, California, U.S.

Having taken the Sri Lankan air force by surprise, the L.T.T.E. has demonstrated it is possible for a terrorist group to acquire aircraft and strike targets with precision. The Sri Lankan government must realize that continued attacks against rebel strongholds in the north will never bring the L.T.T.E. to the negotiating table. Faith in a military solution will only increase the tally: more than 65,000 civilians killed and half a million people left homeless. Without isolating Velupillai Prabhakaran's L.T.T.E. politically and diplomatically, there can be no hope of defeating the outfit. And without finding a just and lasting solution to the problem of Tamil identity and victimization, Sri Lanka will never enjoy peace.
Srinivasan Balakrishnan,
Jamshedpur, India

An Administration Implodes
After reading Joe Klein's "An Administration's Epic Collapse" [April 16], I felt like hiding in my closet until Election Day. In the meantime, I don't know how much more the thinking people of this country will be able to stomach. I am in my advanced years, and I have never seen our country suffer such an outrage as this Administration. Sad to say, I don't think we know all that has gone on behind the walls of this White House. I am not calling for impeaching President George W. Bush, since removing him from office would simply bring forth someone far more reckless. We can only look forward to voting in change on the next Election Day.
Louise France,
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.

Klein is to be congratulated for his straightforward assessment of Bush and his Administration. This is a very scary, sad state of affairs. It is baffling to think that President Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about an affair, while Bush hasn't gotten the same treatment for putting the country in such a terrible situation.
Linda S. Boginsky,
Livingston, New Jersey, U.S.

Blaming Bush for the failures at Walter Reed Army Medical Center is a bit unfair, and I am not one to defend him. There isn't a veteran out there who doesn't know that the military health-care system was a mess long before Bush became President. The blame for Walter Reed must rest primarily on the shoulders of the Army, whose policy of hiding problems rather than correcting them finally caught up with it.
Jim Kindred, Chief Warrant Officer Four Army National Guard (ret.),
Corinth, Mississippi, U.S.

Home for the Holidays
Kudos to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for a wonderful diplomatic and public relations coup [April 16]. He released the British captives at the right time. I particularly enjoyed his remark that the act was a "gift" to Britain for Easter and the Prophet Muhammad's birthday. Contrast this to the hanging of Saddam Hussein on the first day of 'Id al-Adha by the American puppets in Iraq. I am happy that this issue was resolved peacefully and hope that leaders in the Middle East will take a more pragmatic approach and not be rhetorically provocative, which serves no useful purpose. Well done, Iran.
Sivaswamy Mohanakrishnan,
Auckland

Reading about Ahmadinejad, I was reminded that people fixated on the past deny themselves the promise of the future.
Marcus Kneen,
Benoni, South Africa

Pulling the Plug
I was happy to read that at last public opinion and the authorities in the United States are recognizing the havoc being wreaked by its atrocious stream of intolerably violent movies and television programs [April 9]. These images are not confined to the U.S. and brutalize the consciousnesses of children around the world. Why should they pay to increase the profits of cynical U.S. filmmakers?
Karan Singh,
New Delhi

Playing Politics
Garry Kasparov, one of the greatest chess masters, continues to attract world attention with whatever moves he makes, and his challenging of Russian President Vladimir Putin is no different [April 9]. But real-life politics is not as simple as predicting your opponent's moves. In trying to wade through muddy and turbulent waters, Kasparov may get quite wet if not submerge completely. After all, he will be dealing with the darkest impulses of human beings, which don't yield easily predicted moves. It may be more meaningful for Kasparov to keep igniting the interest of young chess players around the world or be a UNICEF ambassador to help abjectly poor children. Treading the ugly path of politics might not be the best option for a man of unspoiled integrity.
Venze Chern,
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Kasparov has said a 1985 world championship chess match that was ended unjustly and prematurely "was the beginning of my political career." Kasparov was an underdog in chess politics. Now he's an underdog again, this time in Russian politics. Let's hope he is not playing Russian roulette.
Poch Peralta,
Manila

Filipino Fare
Joel Stein should not have compared the qualities of Jollibee restaurants with those of Pamela Anderson [April 9]. I have nothing against her, but for me and countless others, Jollibee personifies what it is to be Filipino. We are a happy and resilient people who value families. We love and care deeply for our elders. A Sunday lunch at Jollibee is a way of thanking God for his blessings and of celebrating the unity and solidarity of Filipino families—things that I think may not speak to Anderson and Stein.
Rosemarie F. Domino,
Bacoor, The Philippines

Just so you know, Mr. Stein, Pamela Anderson isn't "the only American" we Filipinos have ever seen. The proliferation of foreign fast-food chains in the U.S. is just another aspect of globalization, so don't flatter yourself. Jollibee's decor and mascot you so maligned do not cater to the smiling American. I daresay they are a tribute to the humorous spirit and lightheartedness of the Filipino people, who in the face of adversity, calamity and discrimination are still known worldwide to be one of the friendliest and most resilient people on earth. We are known as "Asia's sunniest" not just because of our weather but also because of the warmth of our smiles. Sorry to burst your bubble, but not everything in this world is about Americans.
Jade Tejones,
Makati City, The Philippines