A disgusting chess game entrenched in economics

IT’S quite amazing what heads of state are prepared to do to consolidate their political position vis-à-vis with their own people.

Look at Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of Turkey. As if there was not enough instability in the Middle East, he couldn’t wait for the Americans to pull out of Syria to settle old accounts with the Kurds, Turkey’s eternal enemies.

The language used to justify their bombing of northern Syria to create a safe zone is equally amazing. ‘Turkey never liked to use a terrorist group to destroy another terrorist group’ – say Erdoğan’s spokespeople.

In other words the Kurds who, with the help of the Americans had succeeded in almost completely defeating Isis, are now to be eliminated so that Turkey can more directly claim victory over the same Isis.

In the meantime, civilians are being killed, hundreds of thousands are being displaced, and instead of a ‘safe zone’ they are creating a death trap.

Besides it will not be long before thousands of Isis prisoners will find the gates open to freedom. The consequences of such a move can easily be imagined.

All this mess follows Donald Trump’s statement that American troops are being pulled out because of the futility of their engagement in the Middle East. No wiser words.

Only after causing havoc in the Middle East through decades of interference in the affairs of Middle-Eastern countries, resulting in tribal military confrontations and dreadful humanitarian tragedies, it is pretty late to say that now.

This is coupled with the behindthe-scene wheeling and dealing with the sale of armament to this or that faction at war.

The French are now considering no longer selling arms to Turkey.

The whole thing is just a disgusting chess game entrenched in economic interests because of which millions of human lives are lost. What a world we live in! CONCETTO LA MALFA, by email.

Stretching its wings

I SEE Turkey is stretching its wings with its one million soldierstanding army.

Well, I suppose you have to do something with all those soldiers. Let’s hope they don’t get burned in the UN crossfire before Christmas.

PETER McGINNITY, by email.

Don’t reward, educate

IN recent weeks, former politician Liz O’Donnell, chair of the RSA, is featuring widely in a relating advertisement.

Allegedly, this search is to identify and reward a deserving individual who has excelled in the promotion of road safety.

Now while most road users do their best for safety measures, it would be very difficult, nay impossible, to pin-point a specific person who stands out in this respect.

All road users are aware of the many shortcomings of road usage and what habits need to be improved.

For example, driving at a roundabout and the failure to indicate clearly and in adequate time is in need of educational attention.

If the cost of the current RSA adverts was instead invested in depicting proper driving behaviour, it would be public funds better spent.

I’m just fearful that someone depicted in these RSA adverts is contemplating a return to politics. DENIS O’HIGGINS, Monaghan.

College with attitude

SO UCD belatedly and grudgingly, it seems, is to send a representative to the canonisation ceremony of its founder, Henry Newman.

The Brits, as usual, have shown ‘Paddy’ up by their dignified and classy reaction to the occasion.

If UCD is not going with enthusiasm, then why bother at all?

The university’s attitude is symptomatic of a kind of reactionary, knee-jerk anti Catholicism which has gripped official Ireland with a vengeance in recent decades.

It wouldn’t surprise me if UCD runs a degree course in ‘diversity/ inclusion’, with one proviso – Catholics need not apply.

Newman was one of the most incisive and original thinkers of the 19th century.

UCD as presently run is a travesty of what its founder stood for.

Better that they stay at home in Belfield, amid their mundane mediocrity. ERIC CONWAY, by email.