:: Letters to Editor

U.S. stuck in an aimless war

Sept.24 : Sir, With reference to Bob Herbert’s article Americans don’t want to fight Afghan war (September 23), why is US hell bent on "sending them (troops) off to fight and possibly die in support of a government that is incompetent and riddled with corruption and narcotics traffickers"? What is US’ interest in Afghanistan? America is a developed nation and it should take other nations on the path of growth. Can the US tell by when will it be able to pull out its troops from Afghanistan? America’s efforts is admirable but it is getting into an "unachievable task of nation-building in a society in which most Americans are clueless about the history, culture, politics and mores".

Shaunak Dobhal

Via email

Act swiftly on mercy petitions

Sir, The Supreme Court is fully justified in giving the Centre a dressing down in the matter of convicts on death row, with 26 mercy petitions gathering dust on the President’s table. Does the President, who cannot wait even for a single minute in normal traffic, expect condemned prisoners to hang between death and life for years together?

P.G. Menon

Via email

AUSTERITY: TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

Sir, Why are news items carried every day about our MPs and ministers travelling economy class? These measures should have been taken ever since they occupied their offices. If the government feels that the austerity measure of travelling economy class would save a lot of money, our Prime Minister who is a renowned economist, should have implemented this action six years ago. This could have saved the government a lot of money.

Narasimhan

Via email

Pressure pak to probe 26/11

Sir, With reference to the news report Hafiz Saeed placed under house arrest (September 21), I would like to say that home minister P. Chidambaram is absolutely right when he says that since the 26/11 attack was fully planned and directed from Pakistani soil, and directed by Pakistani nationals, it is quite natural that evidence has to be found and obtained in Pakistan itself. If Pakistan does not intend to cooperate it will clearly indicate that they are also a party to the conspiracy. Till then, we can just put pressure on Pakistan to probe the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks judiciously. Let’s hope that wisdom will prevail.

Ranjit Sinha

Deolali, Maharashtra

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Tackle naxals immediately

Sir, This refers to the editorial Fight Naxals with guns and butter (September 22). What started as a struggle against the oppression of the weak by the strong, the Naxal movement in due course degenerated, with its cadres committing unspeakable crimes against the innocent and its mission corrupted. With insurgency turning lucrative, the leaders of many rabid outfits, the Naxals included, became luxury-hounds. Naxals hobnobbing with elements hostile to India deserve no sympathy and should be ruthlessly dealt with. One also hopes the Indian state knows which side of its bread is buttered. As pointed out in the editorial, bullets to terrorists and bread to the frustrated population should eliminate the scourge.

Subbramanyam

Via email