Lessons from the UK floods
Dear Sir,
This refers to the opinion article ‘UK should raid military spending to pay for floods’ (Gulf Times, December 29).
Besides the increasing threats of conflicts, nature too acts adversely on the life of humans and this has become so common in recent times. Yet, the administrations and people-elected lawmakers pay little attention to the concerns of nature and the common people. The actions are dawdling and very little to protect ourselves, instead spending huge amounts for acquiring weapons and weapons of mass destructions.
The world over military spending must have a clear regulatory monitoring and funds must be used to safeguard natural assets as well to improve the welfare of the people. The UK being part of several conventions and meetings across the world to discuss about climate, weather, environmental and related subjects, the damages caused by the recent floods in the country are beyond repairable and it again proved that lessons are not learnt from any such past incidents.
The increasing damages to nature are evident that human aggression on the surface of earth is beyond the limits. It is extremely disappointing that the developed world community continues to fail in tackling the growing menace of invasion.

Ramachandran Nair
Oman
ramachandran.nair@gac.com

Excellent writeup
Dear Sir,
While sending greetings and congratulations for the New Year 2016, I wish to convey my heartiest thanks for the compliments you paid me by carrying a magnificent writeup in your prestigious Gulf Times Community section on Monday, December 28.
A word of appreciation is due to journalist Umer Nangiana for the proven writing skills.

Prof (Dr) W M Karunadasa
Ambassador of Sri Lanka
lankaemb@qatar.net.qa

Leaning over the precipice
Dear Sir,
It seems the conflict in the Middle East, involving over 60 nations and a bewildering array of  separate movements, will last for another decade.
Given our history and biased media coverage, it is easy to regard the future with pessimism. The wars in the cradle of civilisation threaten to become the spark which will see the world aflame any time now.
For the past 50 years, everything has contributed to the destruction which is ravaging the globe. War determines supremacy among nations. It was Aldous Huxley who said, “What is absurd and monstrous about war is that men who have no personal quarrel should be trained to murder one another in cold blood.”
War is enormously discreditable to those who order it and even those who merely tolerate its existence. War continues to harvest innocent souls. We protect our minds by remaining apathetic and out of touch with reality, while the bloody inferno rages and engulfs humanity. It is said that if you don’t look for war, war will look for you.
The embrace by any nation of aggressive wars is a parasite that devours the heart and soul of states engaged in bloodletting. We are leaning over the precipice, not realising that a third world war is looming menacingly over the horizon.

Farouk Araie
Johannesburg