Dear editors:

It is interesting that big sporting events, like the Olympics and the World Cup Soccer do the same thing!

Rob Wyness
Canada

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To the Editor:

By distinguishing between the need for education about HIV/AIDS prevention and the need for clean water you perpetuate the misunderstanding that using clean water to wash genitals after sex, or post-sex hygiene, is often the most feasible form of preventing HIV infections and AIDS.

Just last Friday, on September 22, 2006, Reuters-Health carried a news story about the first scientific study to document as much. You can access this story — headlined “Male genital hygiene affects of risk of HIV infection” — at Reuters.com.

Toby Marotta

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Dear Editor,

I think this is one of the best pieces of information linking women and desertification I have come across. The issue described by the reporter is very vital and concerning. I would like to tender my appreciation to the reporter for choosing such hidden challenges and bring them to the readers.

Thanks a million.

with regards
smilingly
anil
ICIMOD / IFAD Partnership Programme
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
Kathmandu Nepal

*****

Aloha,
I would like to comment on the article regarding women and reforestation. A very simple solution that allows direct funding of accredited women and villages by increments from individuals rather than waiting for and depending upon grant processes. A donations process for this type of project should be much more successful than most others.

Tree planting has a priority in global reclamation and climate temperature control.

All the best,
Elan Star

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Dear Sir/Madam,

Terrorism of anykind is fanaticism at its worst.

As an ex Australian regular soldier and having friends killed and hurt in Bali I oppose terrorism in the most stongest way as it disgusts me. Education about other religions is the key…

Violence of any kind is not the answer and I support this writer and any other writers opposed to anti-semitism and racism and terrorism 100% and he/they should be congratulated for his/their efforts.
Kind Regards
John Christopher Durney B.A. (Hons) Political Science

PS: I spent time in Indonesia as a student in Lombock and mixed with Muslim and Hindu scholars at Materam University. I am a Catholic (Christian) but it made no difference. I was treated with kindness and respect at all times and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Religion, race or anything else should not take away ones rights to live freely and in peace. John

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Dear Editor:

I thought the following would be of interest in relation to your recent article which was referenced on the website, http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/013289.php#comments.

According to your article, the UCOII press release of September 3 stated that:
“Our religion forbids us to express any racial discrimination and obliges us to respect Christians and Jews alike.” — UCOII Press Release

However, are you aware of this?
“The unbelievers among the People of the Book (that is, Jews and Christians) and the pagans shall burn forever in the fire of hell. They are the vilest of all creatures. - 98:51″ — UCOII Governing Doctrine

Additionally, the way the “apology”from UCOII was worded sounds more like they are sorry where they placed the advertisement, not what its sentiments are.

Thank you,
A. M. Carrai

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Dear Editor:

It is wonderful to see that in South America they are taking steps to reduce their dependence on oil as it not only will do grave harm to our enviroment, but is a non-renewable resource.
The oil companies in America have too much control of the Bush administration, and in fact, most of Congress, through their campaign contributions, to allow this to happen. I hope that in America we can come to our senses before we reach the “tipping point” in global warming.

J. Cardwell

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Dear Editor:

Sustainability Watch 2006 Report made correct critical observations and proposals. Not only the World Bank but especially the IMF have to change their politics and neoliberal orientation, as Joseph Stiglitz recently remarked in his new book. Can IPS help to obtain the full text of Sustainability Watch 2006 Report ?
Thank you.
B.Gheorghe

Sustainability Watch 2006 Report

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Dear Editor,

I would like to make a comment on this article, it said:

“The female condom is the only product available for women to protect themselves during rape, thus preventing HIV/AIDS as well as unwanted pregnancies. It is critical in sub-Saharan Africa that women should have the power to protect themselves,” Jadish Upadhyay, head of the UNFPA’s Technical Support Division, told IPS. ‘’

I guess the head of the UNFPA wants to push the female condom, and this is really noble, but let me ask: is it really serious to think that female condom could help during rape? It seems to me an utmost naive and ridiculous statement. Sorry having to say it.

Celine Racicot
Montreal, Canada

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Dear Editor:

Thanks very much for this article. It counteracts so much of the “spin” on stratospheric ozone recovery here in the States which implies essentially that the ozone problem is over. Nothing can be further from the truth. My concern is that so little attention is being paid to the increased UVB radiation that will accompany this continued reduced ozone layer that by believing there is no problem very little attention will be paid to this “other half” of the ozone layer problem.

Please see the information I have recently published [in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health] on these potential effects of increased UVB radiation.

Keep up the good work and continue to publish on this very important environmental issue.

Dr. Ed de Fabo
George Washington University Medical Center
USA

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Dear Editor:

Fascinating story concerning bringing back the use of DDT for malaria control. One question, if you please? Which company or companies will benefit financially from this policy reversal?

Mrs. Nick Harrington
Portland, Oregon USA

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Good Afternoon,

Those of us on the other side of the world and free from your compliant media have the opportunity to scrutinise the writings of many commentators. Those from the right, left and everywhere between.

Outside of America, George Bush would be the most hated politician on the planet. He has been responsible for more murders, mayhem and debt than even Saddam Hussein could have dreamed of. He and Cheney (who is a disgrace to your administration) have fed their vested interests billions and indebted your grandchildren to pursue their fantasy.

If he was anywhere else he’d be impeached and dragged before the war crimes tribunal for crimes against humanity. A comment I heard recently was “When Bush lies straight in bed hell will freeze over.”

2008 can’t come soon enough for your country to rid itself of the most odious politician in your history. Then perhaps your reputation will slowly be recouped.

By the way I’m not a disgruntled or left wing American, being a born and bred New Zealander. (although I’ve been to America quite a number of times) I really don’ care what becomes of your political system but a bit of honesty would go a long way to start with.

Kind Regards
Lou Harrison-Smith
Christchurch, New Zealand

*****

Sir:

It comes as no surprise that many matters of FBI and CIA are purported to be “not in safe custody or safe hands” as you would expect the agency to do. The John F. Kennedy assassination is one example that mars the capabilities of the both bureaus and to date we do not have the killer. Was this not the inside job and files destroyed? I do not know but there are many speculations over the death of Princess Diana also. The monarchy is involved?

I think everything is done to hush, hush the matter in the best possible manner. We know the Iraq war was a big farce. But who will challenge this now that Mr. Bush wants to go to Pakistan and hammer the Osama’s hide out. Are we really gone insane? We try to democratise one, fail and try again to kill the democracy there is another country. This is not part of our baby. Why harass all over the Twin Towers gone. There is a big issue at home. Katrina funds misappropriated, ENRON and the three NETWEST. When will we value the lives instead of thinking in terms of mending own roof and diluting the economics to a level that the population cannot afford the bare necessities these days. This is worldwide phenomena, not jus USA or UK or Japan or rising China.

Firozali A. Mulla MBA PhD
Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania

*****

Sir,
For this to happen the US ruling elite has to delink its connections, especially covert connections to royal Saudi family and UAE royals.

Captain Johann

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Dear Editor:

The Mexican Catholic Church leadership is not only in denial, it is committing fraud. This scandal is about to blow up in Mexico as it has already blown up in the United States. For the Mexican Catholic hierarchy to claim there are “only a few isolated cases” of priests abusing children is absurd.

Four months ago a Mexican priest serving in Sonoma, California (USA) fled to Mexico where he remains a fugitive from justice. He was allowed to flee by his American bishop. He had victims on both sides of the border and is free to victimize more Mexican children.

The fact is, the Mexican hierarchy has never undertaken a cleansing of abusive priests. they have done the opposite. They also have not done the studies that American Bishops have done. That study found over 5,000 U.S.-based priests sexually abused Catholic children. How many in Mexico? I would guess more. How many victims? It is hard to fathom, but I would expect more than the United States, where so far over 12,000 have reported their abuse to Catholic authorities.

The Mexican cardinals and all of their spokespeople are without courage. They are defending a Church that has destroyed the lives of their young children. In five or ten years, my words will be fact and not speculation. Look back on this time as the beginning of a great opening of sadness and a permanent change to the Mexican Catholic landscape. Cardinals such as the cardinal of Mexico City will be viewed as liars, and not as saints.

Dan McNevin
Oakland, California
USA

*****

Thank you so much for this very well written article. Joaquin Aguilar reminds me so much of another man who dared to speak out to the corruption of religious authorities of his day and to the politicians of his day. Am speaking of Jesus Christ, who was crucified for being confrontational and daring to expose the evil that is still played out today in the Roman Catholic Church.

I hope Mr Aguilar stands strong. I admire him and the groups and attorneys who dare to expose what I believe will be one of the most diabolical abuses of third world peoples ever known.

I believe cardinal Mahoney and the Mexican cardinal need to stop attacking the messengers of truth and justice and start accepting the message that they are caught with their pants down. and no amount of threats or spin or public relations campaigns to blame the messenger works.
Respectfully,
Mrs Chris Johnson
Maui, Hawaii
USA

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Dear IPS Editor,

As I was reading the excellent article on exoneration of death row convicts via DNA testing, I came across a sentence that made me pause and read it twice:

“About 10 per cent of DNA contains chromosomes.”

Chromosomes are composed of DNA, no the other way around. I believe the point that Mr. Alberto Cremonesi was trying to make is that only 10 percent of our DNA contains the sequences that encode genes. The rest is “non-coding” or “junk” DNA that has repeating sequences that can be used to identify individuals. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and short tandem repeat (STR) assays are the two major ways that DNA testing is done to identify the DNA sequnce of an individual.

Xavier A. Figueroa, Ph.D.
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
USA

*****

Sir:

In your artical DNA Tests Prove Justice Has Failed you stated that “About 10 per cent of DNA contains chromosomes”.

A chromosome is a large structure made up of DNA coiled around small proteins called histones. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes which are inherited from our parents.

DNA is made up of non-coding and coding genetic sequences. Non-coding DNA contains the repeated sequences of DNA that can be used to make a DNA “fingerprint”. Coding DNA - about 10 per cent of the human genome - contains the genes that determine characteristics such as eyes colour.

DNA contains genes, not chromosomes. Chromosomes are made from DNA, not the other way around.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. L. N. Forse
National Institute for Medical Research
London

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you to Drs. Figueroa and Forse - the error in describing chromosomes and DNA has been corrected in the story.

*****

Dear Editor:

Reminds me of a verse in Tom Paxton’s song “What did you learn in school today?”.

What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?
I learned that policemen are my friends
I learned that justice never ends
I learned that murderers die for their crimes
even if we make a mistake sometimes
and that’s what I learned in school today,
That’s what I learned in school.

L&K Mitchell

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Dear Editor:

This is an interesting article, but it presents an overly pessimistic view, although it may be true in some sense. There is deep revulsion among the moderate Shiites toward the Mahdi army and Moqtada Sadr’s tactics. Despite the alleged increase in Mahdi army training and weapons, they are still a militia without armor, artillery, heavy equipment or solid bases. Their power remains restricted within Shiite strongholds, such as Sadr City in Baghdad, and also in other southern areas such as Kut, Diwaniya, and Amara. However in Basra, the Sadrists are challenged by the Fadhila party, another Shiite splinter group which is in competition with the Sadrists and has in the past clashed with them. In Nassiriya, where Ur is, the dominant force is the SCIRI Party, led by Abdul Aziz Hakim, who although close to Iran, is still on good terms with the Americans.

Overall the assessment in this article is too pessimistic!

Michelle Worthing

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Good News Editor,

You truth telling is to be applauded and shared with the world community. I will do my bit by passing this on to all my contacts. It is a brave person who will stand up and be counted and I guess Echelon has both you and I on our To Hit list in the future!

We all are being focused by mainstream media on incidentals eg, sports, movies, tv, games and gaming and gambling. Hey, the list goes on, and stupid citizens just suck it up and don’t concentrate on what is really going on in our world!

…Great to find this site and editorials today, will come here often.

Keep up the good work and Blessings on you and yours

Perce Collins

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Dear Editor:

I am deeply shocked at reading the above article - It sounds so similar to what people in Palestine are exposed to on a daily basis - and yet these real news are not brought to the people, by the western press of a democratic Britain.
I am sure that if the people of this country and many other western countries were informed of the real human suffering in Iraq - Palestine - people would actually respond, people would actually want to help in some way.
I feel so ashamed at what is going on in Iraq -in the name of liberation - in the name of democracy - I have lived with the guilt of the German nation since I was 2 years old. I could not understand that the most important people to me - my family - my relations - the community I had grown up in - were inactive and unaware of what was happening in the country of my birth - the terrible suffering - the utter humiliation - the annihilation of so many innocent Jewish people. It is only 60 years ago - Are our politicians not aware of our common history?
What can we - as a people - as individuals - to help in this tragic situation?
I am a grandmother and I deeply worry.

Helga Hayward
UK

*****

Dear Editor

Just a Thank You Note for exposing the American liberator

For the world to note and History to record

But for the present sorry to say it is the law of the jungle

Ray

*****

Dear Editor:

It was the French statesman Clemenceau who said nearly a hundred years ago that America is the only nation in history to go miraculously from pioneering to barbarism without an interval of civilisation.

The American forces have become a pack of wild beasts - no! That would be an insult to animals! They have out-Nazied the Nazis - their vicious brutality, their sadistic delight in torture, their contempt and racist hate for people who belong to one of the oldest civilisations in the world going back seven thousand years, demonstrate the moral fibre of the United States - it does not exist.

The Americans fail to see that what they are doing, while brutalising an entire nation, is destroying themselves. I pray that we may live to see the fall of the American imperium and a return of the American Republic.

Peter Kirsch, MD
South Africa

*****

Dear Editor:

After reading your article about “collective punishment” I, as an elderly American citizen can only give a sincere appology. I find what my government is doing in Iraq and Afghanistan to be extremely offensive. I can only pray that this occupation will end soon and life can eventually return to some kind of a normal, peacefull and secure way of life instead of one that is full of hate and destruction. Peace be with you and God bless all the people of the world.
Alan Wadsworth

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Dear Editor:

We are not against the coup as it is believed that the coup can get rid the cheating Prime Minister and set up a new system without him.

Suthee

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Dear Editor:

This country just doesn’t stop… persecuting workers, invading countries, spying, torture… it is appalling. Thanks for your article. Seems all we can do is try to shine light on these daily travesties and scream out against all the injustice taking place in our name.

-Susan Thorpe
Tucson, Arizona, USA

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Dear Editor:

Yet again, we have another example of one of the many New World Order Marxist Liberal NGO Human Rights meddler organisations dictating to governments and populace of every sovereign nation on the planet, how they should run their internal affairs.

Yes, I advocate the death penalty for the deliberate act of HIV transmission to others. In fact, I recommend the death penalty for sedition, treason, murder, paedophilia and acts of public anarchy, and incitement to same.

Interfering Marxist Liberal NGO Human Rights agitators should themselves be proscribed as seditious and criminal, and subjected to the full force of the law of the land.

Perhaps then the world could possibly succeed in collectively ridding itself of the most pernicious and malignant disease of all which is that degenerate and amoral cult known as the Marxist Liberal Elite Political Correctness New World Order regime.

Thank you for this opportunity to express my opinion.

A Swain.

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Dear Editor:

This woman must be talking about paradise, for what she describes is only true for the cronies of the dictatorship. They are the only ones with the privileges and normalcies of a society.

This crazy woman should read “Animal Farm” a couple of times so that she can better understand what a communist totalitarian dictatorship is all about.

Maybe she’s but writing a fictional story as the N.Y. Times is wont to do. That must be it. Check it out, she’s lying about her sources, Mr. Editor.

http://therealcuba.com/

A. Barreiro

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Dear Editor:

Thanks for this. I loved this article, as, in general, all that I have read by Mr. Sanjay Suri.
Best and thanks!

Dr. Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend

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Dear Editor:

I have to say the man is a fruit-loop and I hope, for all our sakes, this is as far as he gets with his electoral ambitions! Talk about chucking gasoline on the fire!

Please do keep reporting what he and others are saying though,

Best,
Simon Taylor

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Greetings:

A few quick lines to thank all involved with the discussion: Courage is not just the standing up against bullets, it absolutely includes standing up against the corruption of all that the constitution holds to be so “SELF EVIDENT”! I need you - WE need you to continue, in hope that your efforts will allow US to continue to live in a world where the possibility of freedom of thought, speech and religion are not subject to constant illegal scrutiny by FASCISTS.

Know also that when you write the difficult stories, they are not lost on only the few concerned. More and more Americans are waking up to the realities of the Bush regime.
Hell, I’m stuck here in “Red State Kansas” and your words have reached me! Jeesh, do you think YOUR communication skills are that much more advanced than the Pentagon’s?

May today be a good day for you and those you care for.

Bill Schultz
Topeka, Kansas, USA

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Editor,

I read with interest the article that Mr. Jim Lobe wrote about the failed Bolton nomination. Mr. Lobe describes Indiana Senator Richard Lugar as a “moderate” Republican! Could Mr. Lobe please explain to me why he describes this man as a moderate when in fact he has received a 100% vote rating in 2005 from the extreme anti-government organization Americans for Tax Reform (Grover Norquist - President), the US Chamber of Commerce and high marks from many other very conservative groups and organizations?

Thank you.
Mark Bryant
Evansville, Indiana, USA

*****

Dear Editor:

At all costs John Bolton must not be the American Ambassador to the United Nations.
I am a New Yorker, I am also Jewish, regardless of John Bolton’s views and support to Israel that is not the only situation that makes Bolton the man.
Sens. Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, must put aside their feelings and thoughts of Israel and not appease the Jewish voters of New York, to stand behind John Bolton’s seat at the United Nations.
John Bolton is the wrong man for the appointment. In the short period of time he has held the interim post, he has alienated the United States further from long standing allies. Our standing on the world stage has been weakened with the current policies in the Mid East. It has been diminished with the silence toward the killings in Dafur.
John Bolton is an open sore that must be closed and healed never to be opened again.

dryhumor999

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Dear Editor:

The loss of water from evaporation behind reservoirs created by dams is worth taking a look at. I once calculated the total loss of the Colorado River system in the US - it was astounding! There are better options.

Steve Juniper
Berkeley, California, USA

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Dear Editor:

We have to remember that when you say Evangelical Christian Americans we are talking about a group of people who see themselves as two things: Americans who support other nations following a pro-democracy form of government no matter what their faith and Christians who believe the Bible and mandates of the New Testament to make disciples of all nations.

Israel is not uniquely a target of support and conversion. Evangelical Christian Americans also support the democracy of Japan and Christian missionaries also go to Japan to preach the gospel. On one hand they hope to see democracy flourish no matter what the faith of the people. On the other hand they hope to see them internally free.

Just as a democracy enables free enterprise in the economy of material goods and services it also allows for free enterprise of ideas and religion. Christians want people to understand that they don’t want to force their ideas and faith on others. They want the freedom to present the gospel to everyone and let them make their own decisions about whether to follow Jesus or not. At the same time people of other faiths are free to do the same thing. Is the fear of Evangelism the fear that somehow the teachings of Jesus are so highly superior that it is irresistible in contrast with all the rest? Can’t we let people think for themselves and make their own decisions? Certainly, modern Christians want to assure Jews and people of any other faith that they whatever they choose they are free to do so. There will be no new holocaust coming from today’s Evangelical Christians. Evangelism does not equal Persecution.

I think it is rather funny that in today’s world we forget a lot of history. In the New Testament book of Acts we have the original disciples of Jesus–who were all Jews–arguing whether to let the Gentile in and under what circumstances. What has come to be called Christianity was originally considered one of the Jewish sects. Nobody thought that becoming a follower of a Jewish Messiah could make you not Jewish. Rather they thought that Gentile believers actually became “adopted” Jews. I wish people would remember that.

D. L. Delk

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Dear Editor:

What can be done to stop this kind of treatment of innocent civilians? I read similar articles, several a day, every day of the week, and I am ashamed of what my United States is doing in the name of fighting terrorism. There seems to be no common sense or humane judgement being used whatsoever.

My sympathy and condolences to all of the innocent citizens of Fallujah, and I pray that the insurgencies could be stopped. What is the answer as it is obvious that military action is not working? Is there a chance that talking and negotiating would be of any benefit, or is that impossible at this point? Something must change and I feel that if the United States and our few allies were to begin withdrawing and ending their occupation, at least the outside (and inside) terrorist activity might lessen.

Peace be with you, as ridiculous as that may sound. I pray for it every day and night.

David Smith

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Dear Editor:

This is a very interesting article. I only suggest that instead of using the U.S. government-supported Reporters Without Borders as a source, that you instead cite the International Federation of Journalists. (www.ifj.org)
Although the IFJ was used by the CIA in the past, I don’t have any reason to believe it is still infiltrated.

Diana Barahona

*****

Dear Editor:

What a great article…thank you.
In the very early hours of (for me) September 12, 2001, I woke up and found the BBC overseas station on my small transistor radio. I listened, in horror and disbelief, to the reporter telling me that one tower was down and the other had just been hit! Her voice was weak and shaking with her own incomprehension. I will never forget the chill that passed over me as I lay, unable to move, as the event unfolded.

Where was I? In the dark, in my tiny bed, in my tiny house, a volunteer at a Catholic Mission High School at the far end of the tiny island of Tarawa in the middle of the Pacific Ocean… praying that it wasn’t the end of the world… afraid that I would never get home again.

How this event needlessly changed life for all of us!

Elaine Hughes
CANADA

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Dear Editor:

Bush is loosing more than the so-called War on Terror.

In the March-April 2006 issue of Mother Jones magazine, James K. Galbraith makes a profound observation. He says, “Bush and Cheney have done more than bungle a war and damage the Army. They have destroyed the foundation of the post-Cold War world security system, which was the accepted authority of American military power. That reputation is now gone.” He goes on to note our alliances are now vulnerable, saying, “As these paper tigers start to blow in the wind, so too will America’s economic security.”

www.gdaeman.blogspot.com
Maryland, USA

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Dear Editor:

It’s about time those right wing idiots signed that treaty as I will now export to EU as a gringo, hopefully without duties on sustainably caught seafood from El Salvador.
Peace

MICHAEL W. JOHNSON - “Senor Pescado”
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

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