Book drive will benefit Pakistan

A reader praises the Kitaabie initiative by Pakistani expatriates. Other topics: speed limit , safety, terrorism, economy, quad bikes

A reader praises the initiative to open libraries in Pakistan. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

The Kitaabie initiative is amazing (Dubai expats launch drive to build libraries in Pakistan, January 14).

Through this, many people especially children living in remote villages of Pakistan, will have access to knowledge in the forms of these donated books.

This campaign lives to the proverb “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure”. These books that might not be of use to people here will greatly benefit people elsewhere. The more donation is, the better.

Fatima Suhail, Sharjah

Can speed be reduced on Dubai road?

Regarding RTA's plan to reduce the speed limit (RTA to reduce speed limit on part of Dubai-Hatta Road from 120 to 100 kph, January 15) you can only do so if the road is designed accordingly, which I don't think it is.

If you reduce the speed limit, you must either make engineering changes (geometry etc) to reduce speed or provide increased enforcement (speed cameras) to stop the offenders.

Paul Glover, Dubai

The accidents are caused by poor driving, it’s really as simple as that.

Craig Dorrington, Dubai

US must ensure individual safety

Clinging to the second amendment prevents the US from progressing beyond the days of the “Wild West” into a safe, modern and sophisticated society (The US stays mute about home-grown extremism, January 12).

Without change to their constitution, matters will only deteriorate. The state must take responsibility for the personal safety of its citizens away from the individual.

Times have changed, at least president Obama recognises this.

Tim Davison, US

Terrorism not an Arab problem

Terrorism is an international problem ('Only Arab nations can fix Syria', says Nicolas Sarkozy, January 15). Why does it always have to be that we Arabs must be left to pick up the pieces? A military solution is fine, we all want it.

However, Mr Sarkozy forgot that his country hasn’t declared the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi groups as terrorist organisations.

These two groups are financing ISIL yet they continue to function in many countries around the world. The West is not an exception.

Sultan Al Tamimi, Abu Dhabi

Mr Sarkozy made a good point. But then Syria and Iraq should just be broken up and reconstructed around their religious/ tribal/ ethnic boundaries, because otherwise the only way to keep peace is to install another dictator.

Chris Reid, Dubai

Go back to gold standards

The article Are we about to witness global financial meltdown again? (January 15) was topical. The world needs to get away from financing their standard of living through debt. Get rid of fiat currencies and go back to the gold standard.

Chris Reid, Dubai

Keep focus on the road

In reference to the story Dune-bashing is detrimental to desert ecosystem, say UAE protection campaigners (January 14), I think such awareness campaigns need to start on the roads.

Once they start driving responsibly there, then perhaps they can extend it to the desert.

Gareth Williams, Abu Dhabi