Fathers and Terrorist Sons

This refers to your report, “Father Asks His Terrorist Son to Turn Himself In” (Sept. 26).

This is so sad...a parent spends his/her life bringing a child up the best he/she knows how, only to have him brainwashed. I don’t really blame the child, but I do blame those who do this to them.

Did you ever notice that “they” always send someone else to do the dirty work? If it is such a great thing, why isn’t a bomb strapped to them?

I have sons. I would feel as this parent does about those who have ruined my sons. I don’t know why these things happen or where those warped ideas come from, but I do know that it needs to be stopped.

They are getting money from somewhere, find the source and stop it. The children are being taught this by someone; find those people and stop them.

Your children are worth whatever it takes, don’t let “them” win.

Betty Wiggins, United States, published 29 September 2005

Fathers and Terrorist Sons - 2

I was happy to read the following comment from a sincere father: “I taught all my children that Islam is a merciful religion. It is a religion of peace and harmony. And this is what I practice in my life. Even when a cat runs in front of my car, I stop and let it cross the road. I cannot bear the idea of my son hurting anyone — Muslim or non-Muslim. Our religion tells us that all mankind has dignity and must be respected.”

M. Salim, Saudi Arabia, published 29 September 2005

Mobily Apologists

The “Great Mobily Controversy of 2005” rages on! Has anyone noticed how in their defense of Mobily, Nadir Najeeb and Sharbeen S. employed about one sentence each expressing their joy in using the server and then used paragraph upon paragraph to excuse and justify Mobily’s inability to provide competent and efficient service to its customers? It’s beyond me how these two could be satisfied with Mobily when all it produces is problems. Does anyone find it odd that two “customers” could have so much knowledge about the inner workings of Mobily as do Nadir and Sharbeen?

Before any of you rushes out to stand in the long lines that surely must be forming at the Mobily subscription office, consider just two of Nadir’s statements. First, Nadir proclaims that, “True, the problem of coverage remains...but it is unfair to blame them (Mobily) for that.” Well, Nadir, just who is to blame if not Mobily? Is there a worldwide epidemic of irresponsibility presently sweeping the globe? Is there no one who is responsible for anything? Do situations just magically occur with no human connected to them? Allow me to suggest this company motto for Mobily: “It’s not our fault”.

Second, Nadir educates us with this wildly improbable business principle. “When a new telecom company starts ... it takes a few months for it to find its feet and keep its promises.” I, on the other hand, propose that before a company begins business they should already have their feet on the ground and if they aren’t prepared to keep their promises immediately, then they shouldn’t make them.

Steve Corcoran, Alkhobar, published 29 September 2005

Invaders’ Justice

I read the news item, “Basra Judge Seeks Arrest of UK Soldiers” (Sept. 25).

If anyone wants to understand what is nourishing hatred in the hearts of the Iraqi people and is causing them to react and kill senselessly, they should read this news item. The blatancy with which the British forces have shown disrespect for the Iraqi people, its judiciary and its authorities is unbelievable!! It can only be done by an invader against the invaded, no “liberator” would take such action against a nation it claims to have liberated!! Imagine British forces breaking down the walls of a jail with armored vehicles, killing two innocent Iraqi policemen in the process, to free two British soldiers — soldiers accused of killing an Iraqi policeman and wounding another, carrying unlicensed weapons and holding false identification.

If the British forces justify this action on the basis that these soldiers were held illegally, the only difference between what they have done and what the “terrorists” are doing in Iraq is a matter of might — there is no justification in either.

Sohail Hameed Khan, Saudi Arabia, published 29 September 2005

Invaders’ Justice - 2

The lack of international laws regarding the feud in Basra surprises me. The majority of international agreements call for the host nation to return to a foreign nation any and all persons who may be accused of a crime, infraction or otherwise illegal matter. This is true of the USA to the Congo to Cuba.

Your assumption that the British were behaving as “thugs” is totally foolish and uneducated. The British moved only because the so-called police had handed over the two British troops to a group of militiamen who represented a clear and present danger to the lives of the troops.

The matter of life, war and peace in this region could be so easy to settle, if it were not for your tribal, and backward traditions mixed with excessive amounts of religious rhetoric. If the forces of the so-called insurgents were to cease warring, you would see how quickly American forces would depart.

Mike Gutierrez, United States, published 29 September 2005

Bush and Bin Laden

Arabs view Bush as a greater threat than Bin Laden, says a report you published on Sept. 25. Why single out Arabs? The same could be said of Europeans, Asians, Africans, and Southern-Americans etc.

Amusingly, the other day we watched an American documentary titled “The world’s most hated man.” This was on Bin Laden. But I am afraid the title would most certainly be awarded to G.W.Bush in any country and continent outside of the US.

Now, as for myself I’m not anti-American just anti-Bush and proud to be a European.

Ilari Rahja, UK, published 29 September 2005

India and Iran

India voted against Iran at IAEA. This only shows that Muslim countries should never think of India as a friend. I hope Iran has learned a lesson. Those Muslim countries that are trying to appease India will be in the same position when they really need their Indian “friend’s” help.

Syed Shafiqul Islam, Saudi Arabia, published 29 September 2005

Back to Escalation

Your editorial (Sept. 26) is intellectually dishonest. The explosion at the Hamas rally was the fault of Hamas and the PA has openly admitted that. As soon as Israel withdrew, the Palestinians did what many Israelis predicted they would do: Used the strip as a launch pad for further attacks. What are the Israeli officials to do? Sit back and watch the mortars come in? The problem is not that Israel is using too much force, but not using enough. It is well known that to win a war, overwhelming force must be used.

Just Desserts, United States, published 29 September 2005

Back to Escalation - 2

Why is it that you still mention that 15 Palestinian members of Hamas were blown up as some sort of evidence of Israeli escalation when even the Palestinian Authority has come out and said that this was a case of Hamas mishandling their own explosives? Comments like this only serve to perpetuate this violence. In the face of such evidence, I can only conclude that this is your goal. You are not happy without Israeli violence. Maybe because then you’d have no one left to blame for your own shortcomings but yourselves?

Ben I, United States, published 29 September 2005

Back to Escalation - 3

You say the reason for Israeli action “was 35 rockets fired by Hamas at Israeli towns — but the rockets neither killed nor injured a single Israeli.”

Rockets neither killed nor injured a single Israeli. So that makes it OK?

“Of course, Mofaz failed to mention that the Hamas strike came after 15 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in an explosion at a Hamas rally in Gaza’s Jabaliya refugee camp. “

An explosion that the PA says was caused by Hamas mishandling their own explosives. In short, Hamas is attacking Israel, and your reporting is so dishonest you can’t bring yourselves to point out to the Arab world who is really the single biggest impediment to peace in the Middle East: Hamas and groups like them. Your style of reporting that is blatantly dishonest is responsible for the deaths of more Palestinians and Iraqis than any Israeli or American action ever.

The current generation of Palestinians does not even have a clue as to what their true history is anymore. And the media is a major reason why. Peace will never be achieved without honesty.

Shawn Patterson, United States, published 29 September 2005

Back to Escalation - 4

Why can’t you be truthful? The explosion in the Hamas rally that you mention has been acknowledged even by the Palestinian Authority to be the result of an accident by Hamas mishandling some missiles. Four Hamas operatives were eliminated when they used this as an excuse to attack Israel. Is it that you are unable to speak the truth?

Daniel Sudarsky, United States, published 29 September 2005

Firing Rockets into Israel

Firing Rockets into Israel was a stupid thing to do. What did you expect that would accomplish, besides a massive retaliation. Then, by all means, take responsibility for it, so as to make it easy for them to know who to hit and, with the world watching, also take the blame.

You've helped Israel and hurt the Palestinian cause. They're smart enough and ruthless enough to understand how to provoke you, and you let them do it.

In American Football, it's called the "draw-play." You draw in the defense by letting them do their thing, then just hand the ball to someone who can run, unimpeded. right up their middle. Works every time.

Do the Zionist thing: Disband Hamas (but really don't) Just change your colors, call yourselves the Palestinian Defense Force, look nice, talk nice, and play politics to the world. Let Mr. Abbas handle it. He knows the drill, you sure don't.

And throw those stupid "rockets" away, before you hurt yourselves again.

Ed Friedemann, Carrollton, Texas, published 29 September 2005