At war over how to tackle fiscal deficits

The US government teeters on the brink of bankruptcy and risks ruining the world's economy. There is barely a mention that the country is being wrecked by militarism and wars (Congress vote pulls US back from the brink, 2 August). In the UK, we are bankrupting vital charities and running down the welfare state. Not a mention of the crippling cost of our lethal military adventures. What is it with politicians and wars? Have they so little sense of personal authority that they must express themselves by pounding others into submission? The world has moved on. Citizens want conflicts resolved by talks, not tanks, and are hungry for a return to a sense of decent values so lacking in our power elites. The Club of Rome argues in a recent report: "Global society cannot emerge unless it drinks from the source of moral and spiritual values ... Individuals and groups are increasingly placing this issue at the forefront of their concerns."

Jim McCluskey

Twickenham, Middlesex

During the 2008 presidential campaign, when Barack Obama compared his agenda of Hope and Change to that of Martin Luther King, Hillary Clinton tried to remind voters that, while Dr King may have had the vision, it took a powerful president like Lyndon Johnson to actually enact the legislation to make it possible. At the time, we Obama voters derided her cynicism and chalked her remarks up to the desperation of a flailing campaign. Oh, Hillary, how right you were. This president has amply shown that he's no LBJ. Please run again and give us a chance to correct our dreadful blunder. As for you, Mr Obama – good luck in 2012 with those "moderates" and "independents" you so desperately seek to impress. Democrats will be watching from the sidelines.

Shel Khipple

Wilmette, Illinois, USA 

Quantitative easing is again in fashion (IMF tells Britain to get ready for more QE, 2 August). Late in 2009, after the previous round, I served freedom of information requests on both the Treasury and Bank of England, seeking to find out what had happened to the money. In particular, I tried to find out the split between UK and non-UK vendors of the massive quantity of gilts purchased by the Bank. My concern was that cash paid to non-UK vendors would flow out of the country and not benefit the UK. After an exchange of emails, the Bank admitted "it is impossible to provide this information because a seller can use an agent (eg a bank) to conduct the transaction. We only observe the transaction, not who benefits from the transaction." The £200bn could have gone anywhere. Wiser counsel now would be to avoid again supporting the world economy by targeting the limited funds available on critical parts of the UK ecomony, including support for the SME sector. 

Alan Kay

Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire