Letters to the editor

Why Africa ails

A people aware of inequality linked to unfairness are a restive people. Western leaders talk about human rights, good governance and corruption. However, television and the Internet bring images of our minorities continuing to struggle and our members of Congress beholden to moneyed interests, with some accepting blatant bribes.

Western leaders carry the banner for free trade but allow the Doha trade talks to be mired in protectionism. The Chinese may fail on these points, but their failure is authentically them, without pretension (“Why Beijing succeeds in Africa,” Op-Ed, Monday).

Paul Moorcraft says “Africa needs trade not aid,” which simplistically ignores that AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are more than decimating those in the most productive age groups.

The United Nations estimates there are 34 million orphans in sub-Saharan Africa. Thirty thousand children are dying each day from preventable and treatable diseases of poverty. We can and must turn back these scourges so that the people can begin to participate in the global economy on a fairer footing. Backing up our talk will make us credible and desirable partners.

DR. LARRY DONOHUE

Seattle

Thanking Spc. Darby

In the column “Why Spc. Darby can’t go home” (Op-Ed, Dec. 25), Nat Hentoff wonders why the “60 Minutes” report on Spc. Joseph Darby and its subsequent press coverage fail to hold senior administration officials and lawyers who worked on interrogation legal analysis and policy ultimately responsible for the abuses perpetrated at Abu Ghraib prison.

It is not because of the news media’s tenderness for the administration. Rather, it is because the facts show that the abuses of Abu Ghraib occurred in spite of administration policy, not because of it.

First, the abuses at Abu Ghraib were committed by military police, not interrogators.

Second, the abuses of Abu Ghraib clearly transgressed any policy on detainee treatment or interrogation. Thus, the abusers could not have been following any policy or been confused about what policy to apply. The policy of the United States has always been to treat detainees humanely and never to torture.

The Department of Defense thanks and appreciates Spc. Darby and the vast majority of our servicemen and servicewomen who conduct themselves decently, honorably and courageously in the most demanding job in the world.

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