I would like to thank the people of Saudi Arabia for not rioting or destroying their country’s buildings and properties housing American missions as part of protests over a disgusting anti-Islam film by some idiots. These people don’t represent all Americans; they don’t represent our feelings on religion. It’s just a stupid thing done by some irresponsible persons.
I haven’t seen this movie, don’t care too and don’t approve of what they have done. But isn’t there a point when we have to stop giving so much attention to some stupid actions and deal with the lives that are being lost due to actions of some morons. Life is so precious and in this day of turmoil and distress that one needs to embrace life. Respect for one another isn’t a thing of the past, it’s now here in Saudi Arabia, in America and all over the world. I live in Saudi Arabia and I have made many friends from all over the Middle East and respect them. I shop everyday without worrying about a building being blown up, or someone hurting me because I have had the safety instilled in me by the residents. I tell my family we are okay here and safe, I would only hope any Middle East person can say that in the United States. Let’s look to the future, to what we can build in relationship for the good not who we can destroy. (Barbara Stitt, Khamis Mushayt)
Brighter side of Pakistan
This is in response to the column “Zia-ul-Haq: Modest leader who met with tragic end” by Farouk Luqman. I read the article about Zia-ul-Haq and Pakistan on Arab News online. Being a Pakistani I am really very pleased to read all the good things about Pakistan. It has been ages any international newspaper said anything pleasant about Pakistan, all we hear these days is about bomb blasts, protests and killings, bloodshed etc. I was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that’s why it’s quite difficult for me to choose which one of the countries is dearest to me. One is my birth country where I spent my childhood, lived like that’s my own land, and one is my father’s place of birth were I feel like I am in the arms of my father and mother. I wish people of Saudi Arabia and media around the globe would understand the frustrating situation of Pakistani people in these though times, and will try to stand by us, by at least portraying and promoting the brighter side of Pakistan. (Faris Pervez, Sialkot, Pakistan)
With us or against us
About a decade back, one Republican President threatened the world by saying — “either you are with us or you are with the terrorists.” In other words, the whole mankind was divided into two groups — America and its allies, and anti-American terrorists. Now another star from Republicans, presidential candidate Mitt Romney is going to divide his own country — as per Romney 47 percent of Americans don’t pay their taxes and are dependent on the government for health care, food and housing, and that’s Obama’s vote bank. Should we assume that the rest 53 percent pay their taxes to run the country (and in fact the whole world) and that’s Republican vote bank, then Mitt need not to worry about, he has already got the majority on his side. Though Mitt was caught for, as he put it “of the cuff” remarks not intended for general public, however, that paint a stark picture of Republican top brass’ mentality — you don’t pay taxes, you are written off as we don’t know you and we are not responsible for you. In the same breath, he set up his foreign policy goals while writing off the Palestinians as well — “Palestinians are committed to the destruction and elimination of Israel,” therefore, efforts on Middle East peace under his administration would languish. (Masood Khan, Jubail)
Romney and neocons
This is in response to the article “Things are not what they seem” by Tanya Cariina Hsu. The piece mostly serves readers well, sincerely, I believe, telling them what they need to or should know. But to quote President Obama that Egypt’s government wasn’t “an enemy,” it was not a friend is a provocative distortion, whether or not it is intentional. It does not serve readers well. Most importantly, that Egypt is not an ally of the US is a diplomatic fact, not a statement of lack of friendship. “Ally” has a precise diplomatic meaning: Through treaty, an ally is a country another country has sworn to help protect and defend. But for Tanya Hsu to infer that the US, or President Obama in particular, looks at Egypt as “not a friend” does not follow. Egypt has been the recipient of one of the two biggest amounts of US foreign aid annually for decades. While it is certainly debatable where that aid served Egypt well. She, however, rightly points out the danger of the not-vanquished neocons of the George W. Bush’s administrations, who will so clearly make a Romney/Ryan administration Bush Round Three, in foreign policy as well as domestic. I can assure you that at least a majority of Americans see that as a threat to themselves as well. (Robert Eller, Riyadh)
Letters — Let’s embrace life
