Ukraine, Zimbabwe, School Prayer Rooms Grab Readers' Interest

The following comments reflect the views of DW-WORLD.DE readers. Not all reader comments have been published. DW-WORLD.DE reserves the right to edit for length and appropriateness of content.

Expanding NATO

As a Ukrainian, I want Ukraine to enter NATO. This action will accelerate its development and will encourage its rapprochement with the EU. It will also help Ukraine to determine its further foreign policy as well as diminish its internal political opposition. -- Sergiy Papirny, Ukraine

President Bush should leave the policy making to expand NATO to his more pragmatic successor. The US president and his advisors did not listen to good advice and common sense from most EU nations prior to invading Iraq, why should Bush and his think-tank advisors have the privilege to take such a strong stand on NATO expansion now? -- G. Gosau, Canada

Maybe Germany would be more at home in a new Warsaw Pact with Putin. The opposition to American policies is about the same after all. -- JL Ronish, US

Investigating Stasi Past

I think the Stasi past of people should be revealed, just as the service of the pope or Guenter Grass in the German army in WWII has been. But, the former Stasi informants who were young people in a repressive country must be judged leniently, and their current careers should not suffer. All Germans should forgive and unite today and take pride in their civilized and democratic country. -- Dr. David Brook, US

Boycotting the Olympics

Pro-independence protests have been taking place around the world

If the Chinese have nothing to hide, why do they fear the Dalai Lama and his message? China dishonors its vast cultural heritage by continuing this persecution of a peaceful people. -- Chris Fitzgerald, US

Election in Zimbabwe

I am appalled by the racial undertones in Johannes Beck's comment on Zimbabwe. By and large Beck writes with a condescending attitude against Africans in this article. When he says, this is where Africans are right, one reads the old Euro-centricity that justifies him to dichotomize African thought into wrongs and rights. -- Gitahi Njeri, Kenya

Mugabe has stated with a poker face that he had never cheated or used unfair tactics to win past elections. He also stated that he would accept the results of the 2008 election. The only result he will accept is victory at whatever cost. Why are we surprised that the results are not being announced? By doing nothing we are all supporting mass murder. -- Cliff Ditchfield, Denmark

Muslim prayer rooms in German schools

Why should Muslims even ask to have such a thing? School is a place to teach the nations children on how to read and write and to do math. I will say that I did go to Catholic school. I will also say that I went to a public school where they had no Catholic rooms of prayer. No one thought to ask. -- Terence Sommer, US

Transrapid train plans scrapped

Plans to connect the city of Munich with its airport were scrapped

I have long been fascinated by the Transrapid technology and its initiation into reality in the city of Shanghai. It is unfortunate that this technology cannot be implemented in the country where it was conceived. However, it is a courageous decision by the German government to turn this down. One would hope the tax revenue will be spent on more urgent social issues or alternative technology to combat global warming. Despite my love for trains and state-of-the-art technology, we must wisely consider our priorities. It is on this ground that I respect the decision to forego such a costly project in a country that probably has the best transport infrastructure in the world. -- Peter Franke Brisbane, Australia

Nietzche's grave to be moved because of coal mine

Friedrich Nietzsche would love the irony of this situation and would understand. "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger," said the philosopher. Those protesting "Neitzsche's move" seem to have forgotten his philosophy. -- John Brian Shannon, Canada