— Satwant Kaur

Mahilpur

• Pakistan is not likely to listen to your sound advice to redeem itself. Pakistan knows realpolitik. It cares about the consequences of its actions, not the correctness the same. As long as the United States needs it as an ally vis-à-vis Afghansitan, Pakistan knows it can ignore Indian calls for action on the Mumbai attack and the dent in its global credibility. India may enjoy the confidence of the international community, but it will offer nothing more than its words. It is time we beefed up our internal security as our only option.

—Y.G. Chouksey

Pune

Building bridges

• It is obvious that neither the Congress nor the BJP will have a majority of its own to form the next Union government. The country will certainly be governed by a coalition and the recent assembly elections have changed the political scene to some extent. In coalition politics, it takes no time for friends to turn into foes and vice versa. The two major national parties must find allies who will not leave them in the lurch when they smell opportunity or danger. The Congress should keep in mind the UPA’s erstwhile alliance with the Left. The BJP, of course, has much more to do. Part of its problem in finding allies is its brand image — the first party to successfully run a Central coalition, the BJP seems to have stumbled after Vajpayee’s exit. The present NDA is a ghost of its former self. Ironically, the Congress, which didn’t know how to lead and keep a coalition, seems better positioned after having led the UPA.

— Dilbag Rai

Chandigarh

Time to stop

• Israel’s military operation in Gaza has the potential to spread or at least engender conflict beyond West Asia. The principal adversaries are determined to not retreat from their stated objectives, since doing so would mean losing home support. Given the complexity of the problem and the mutual mistrust, the UN should carry on from its call for an immediate ceasefire, but not expect immediate success. If Israel continues the assault, it will only strengthen the jihadis.

— Amit Pradhan

Baroda