A role model for all dreamers

A reader says Amal Al Ghaferi is a role model for every woman. Other topics: peace, Benjamin Netanyahu, ISIL rampage

A reader says Amal Al Ghaferi is a role model for every woman. Ravindranath K / The National

Thank you for the wonderful and motivational story No limits to achievement (March 5). At a time when bad news constantly dominates the media, it was refreshing to read the story about Amal Al Ghaferi from Al Ain, who is the first Emirati faculty member at Masdar Institute.

She is not just a role model for Emirati women, but for all those women who have a dream. She is my role model, because I have a dream.

I would like to read more articles like this. I hope the UAE continues to support young talents.

Anna Yazjiyan, American University of Sharjah

Goodness is our best weapon to counter the evil

One of the biggest questions of our time is what went wrong in the relationship between Muslims and the West (Obama has begun a key dialogue with Muslims, February 15). Continuing global violence in the name of Islam reflects deep fears by certain Muslim factions. We need to find a solution to this issue based on mutual respect and understanding.

We must use goodness as a weapon to challenge the forces that demonise “others”.

That will help us to promote understanding among each other and solve the problems that are posing a threat to humanity.

Muslims need to figure out what went wrong within their own societies. The West should do the same.

By finding common grounds, acknowledging the contributions of each other and respecting each other’s faith and culture, we can move towards peace and harmony.

Samaoen Osman, South Africa

Netanyahu’s eyes are on polls

I'm not sure Benjamin Netanyahu believes he's bigger than Israel, as Alan Philps put it in his opinion article Netanyahu believes he is bigger than Israel itself, March 5). I believe he's posturing for the forthcoming general election and sees Barack Obama as an unpopular president who will be replaced next year.

I think it was rather clumsy of him to handle it like he did – for my money there was lots of classic partisan fear-mongering, playing to credulous or pro-Israeli ears.

Mr Obama’s hands are currently a little tied (and I don’t just mean after his recent loss of the Senate, which will cripple his ability to get anything through either house). The US president wants ISIL out of Iraq, as well as Syria. Iran is now taking up increased responsibility for handling ISIL, so why would Mr Obama want to sever ties further with Iran and impose severe sanctions and risk either allowing ISIL another victory or a post-ISIL world with Iran having a strong influence on the Shiite dominated Iraq?

The answer is: it wouldn’t. The US needs to maintain good connections with Iran and Iraq throughout this turbulent period. As intense fighting goes on in Tikrit, Mr Netanyahu’s timing could hardly be worse.

Chris M, Dubai

Sad to witness ISIL rampage

The old city of Nimrud is not just about religion (ISIL continues destruction of Iraq's cultural heritage, March 7).

It is the documentary evidence of how the people of Iraq lived and built a city thousands of years ago. So why is ISIL bent on destroying its cultural treasure? Going by the nature of these terrorists, I would say that their motive is probably to find some real treasure – such as a king’s tomb filled with gold and jewellery – that might be lying hidden beneath some of these archaeological sites.

Edwin Panopio Herrera, Dubai

News that ISIL has destroyed 3,000-year-old Nimrud treasures is heart-rending. I feel sorry to see this happen in my country.

Qussay Al Rawi, Dubai