Letters to the Editor: October 19, 2009 Issue

In a sense, the Nobel Prize committee has given the American people the award, more than to President Barack Obama. It is indeed a prize for change.
M. Anwarul Haq, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Christopher Hitchens missed the real justification for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Before Barack Obama defeated the Republicans in the 2008 election, much of the world viewed a nearsighted, unilateral, and aggressive America as a significant threat to world peace; Obama's election changed that.
Jerry R. Hobbs, Marina Del Rey, California

Many previous Nobel Prize winners influenced the peace process regionally. Barack Obama has influenced the entire globe. Christopher Hitchens, please open your eyes and see what is happening.
Richard G. Saez, San Juan Capistrano, California

Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama for his diplomatic efforts has degraded the prize. To date, Obama has put off meeting the Dalai Lama in a nod to Chinese President Hu Jintao. And "peace" itself, whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, or the Palestinian territories, is still a mirage. Perhaps the Nobel committee should have a prize for human rights to distinguish it from the now-tarnished peace prize. True champions of human rights, such as Thich Quang Do and others tortured and imprisoned, too often go unrecognized.
Jamshed K. Fozdar, Singapore

Doesn't William Ward think that heads of state should be role models for their citizens, especially for their country's youth? Not once in postwar Europe have we witnessed such a preposterous character in charge of a nation that deserves better.
Werner Radtke, Paderborn, Germany

Both Panorama and Il Foglio, for which William Ward is the London correspondent, are owned by the Berlusconi family. You should have disclosed that the author of "Berlusconi the Bold," "a defense of Italy's prime minister," is, in fact, one of Silvio Berlusconi's employees.
Pietro Slavich, Paris, France

Corrections: In "Underqualified for the Overrated" we incorrectly said that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Stockholm. In fact, it is given in Oslo. We also said that the Italian daily La Stampa is based in Rome. It is based in Turin.

In "Pakistan's Fickle Ally" (Oct. 19) we misidentified the prime minister of Pakistan. He is Yousuf Raza Gilani, not Asif Ali Zardari, who serves as president.

In "The Faster Sex" (Oct. 5) we should have said that the Maserati Gran Turismo is not a two-seater but rather a 2+2, meaning it has two rear seats. Also, the Ferrari California's horsepower is not 510 but rather 460. NEWSWEEK regrets the errors.