We need more Erdogans 2

This is refreshing. We need more Erdogans. We also need more writers like this one. He tells us what we must do now! We have wasted too many lives with our inaction and incompetence. The Middle East has enough resources to be more powerful than the US or Europe. But we are pawns in the hands of the West and it is only interested in setting us against each other and stealing our resources.

Parviz, By e-mail published 1 November 2009

We need more Erdogans 3

In his article “We need more Erdogans”, Aijaz Zaka Syed states:

“The disastrous, 8-year-long war between Iraq and Iran, the only Arab-Persian conflict in post-Islam history, that claimed nearly a million lives had been a gift of the West.” Really? This must have been the first instance in history when somebody bankrolled a gift.

Sultan A. Aslam, By e-mail published 1 November 2009

Leaning Makkah hotel

This is in response to the report, “Leaning Makkah hotel to be pulled down” (Oct. 30).

I am surprised that all the buildings that are “dangerous” happen to be in Makkah. Although I am not an engineer, I thought that because of the nature of the terrain, the buildings in Makkah would be more solid. If my speculation is right, then the contractors or owners or both are responsible for so many buildings collapsing in Makkah. I just hope it is not due to the greediness of those people. We don’t find buildings in other cities of the Kingdom collapsing. Any such thing happening in Makkah would attract world attention because of the city’s special status. For obvious reasons, I would like to see more stringent guidelines implemented for buildings in Makkah.

Dr. Mohammad Al-Yamani, By e-mail published 1 November 2009

Hillary Clinton’s visit

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Pakistan last week. The visit was important for Pakistan and the region. Over 300 innocent people were killed in October by Taleban suicide bombers. Bomb attacks were taking place in Pakistan almost daily. We need to win this war against the Taleban. The people of Pakistan, the innocent bystanders, have suffered the most.

What Clinton and her government can do is show a better appreciation of the people’s plight. They must understand that the root cause of this insurgency is not religion but poverty. The problem with the US and its Western allies is that they are unable to identify the means by which conditions for Pakistanis or, for that matter, Afghans can be improved. Governments in Afghanistan or Pakistan have been unable to deliver civil and economic progress to their people, although this is the mandate they were given at the ballot box. They cannot even provide basic needs for their people. Pakistan has major issues which directly affect the people every day and the government is not bothered or does not have the resources to tackle them. There is a water shortage; there is an electricity shortage; there is a food shortage. All these require planning for the future. The US assistance to Pakistan needs to be doubled if the country is to tide over the present difficulties.

Giving paltry amounts of aid is not sufficient and does nothing for the people; it merely keeps corrupt governments in office. America will have no better friend than the Pakistani people if they can deliver on the ground. Otherwise this country is going to have unlawful outfits springing up as those people have nothing to lose but a government they despise.

Americans must also be aware of the Indian role in Afghanistan and through the benevolent work they are supposed to be doing for the Afghans, Indians are interfering in Balochistan as well as extending assistance to Taleban elements.

It is also possible they have a hand in the bomb attacks. India wishes to inflict wounds on Pakistan so that Delhi’s hegemony remains unchallenged. To Pakistanis it looks as if America is assisting that process. There need to be comprehensive talks on the region because the people of Pakistan suspect that America, UK and India and Israel are in cahoots and out to destroy Pakistan and the only thing they are really interested in is Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.

The people have been betrayed by their leaders and America has helped them to gain and maintain power. This situation must end. Democracy has failed in Pakistan as far as the people are concerned.

Zafar Raja, London published 1 November 2009

US health-care bill

According to a report, the US House has unveiled an $894 billion health-care bill. Health care is a basic human right and should be guided by fundamental moral values.

It should not be controlled and determined by a government whose policies — like those of the Obama administration — support or encourage abortion, euthanasia, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, in-vitro fertilization and other procedures or technologies. No health-care plan should compel the people to pay for, or participate in, the destruction of human life. To preserve this principle is morally right and politically wise.

Paul Kokoski, Ontario, Canada published 1 November 2009

Indo-Pak relations

In your editorial on Indo-Pak relations (Oct. 30), you welcome India’s decision to withdraw 15,000 troops from Kashmir. But you forgot to mention that India has half a million troops pinned down in the Kashmir Valley. Still I would consider it a nice gesture by India, aimed at Hurriyat Conference and Pakistan. Of course, there are many who will keep their energies focused on goals such as an independent Kashmir or Kashmir’s merger with Pakistan. These are the people who never learn from history. Both India and Pakistan have already fought three wars and a fourth one was averted only because of timely intervention by the big powers.

India and Pakistan have many problems. Both may be nuclear powers but their farmers are committing suicide because they could not afford to pay back the loans; rural areas are still in the Dark Ages and slums are encroaching on the cities themselves. Both are unable to provide quality health care and education to all sections of society. This is only because both had to spend large sums of money on defense.

So this troop withdrawal should be the first step toward demilitarization of Kashmir including the part under Pakistan’s control. Pakistan should dismantle all those groups who may still be using its soil to inflame insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India should allay Pakistani fears over Indian collaboration with Baloch rebels and the Taleban. The future of South Asia should not fall into the hands of militants, politicians and armies.

Masood Khan, Jubail published 1 November 2009

We need more Erdogans

I would like to thank Aijaz Zaka Syed (Oct. 30) for raising the issue of why Muslim leaders are afraid or reluctant to speak out against Israel’s offensive against the people of Gaza and the West’s hostility to Iran’s nuclear program.

Our Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has consistently taken a stand against Israel. He has also made it clear that he is opposed to sanctions on the Iranian people. Aijaz Zaka Syed rightly asks: “How can we ignore the historical reality that until our colonial masters arrived, Arabs and Iranians and Sunnis and Shiites had coexisted in peace and total harmony for centuries?” We should never forget this historical reality even though the West is trying to create the impression that Iran (Shiite) and Arab countries (Sunni) have always been at each other’s throats.

Mehmet Alag?z, Istanbul, Turkey published 1 November 2009