A sad day for our country, but a proud moment

There is no easy answer to the refugee problem, readers say. Other topics: Emirati soldiers, debts, India

There is no easy answer to the refugee crisis, readers say. EPA

Refugee issue not so simple

I agree with the British prime minister David Cameron that there is "no answer that can be achieved simply by taking more and more refugees" (Pressure builds on UK's Cameron amid pictures of drowned refugee child, September 4).

It’s a complex argument, but at the end of the day, the refugee is crossing a dozen safe countries to get to Germany and the UK.

The minute they leave that first safe country, they cease to be refugees, they are taking a conscious decision to undertake a further journey that has nothing to do with them fleeing conflict, and everything to do with economic factors.

The international community should support the likes of Turkey and Jordan to house refugees in humane conditions until a permanent solution is found in their country of origin.

Permanently resettling people in Europe is not the answer.

John Paul, Dubai

It is a very complicated issue. The UK can take them in, but it can’t do as it usually does and hand over a house and an allowance to each one. But something has to be done, even if it’s a few thousand of those small summer house type things.

Nicola Mundie, UK

This is a mess created by the United States. Why aren’t they coming forward now?

Fawad Ali, Dubai

A sad day for our country

It's a sad day for our country (Three days of mourning for heroes' sacrifice, September 5). Yet I'm incredibly proud to live in this country. May the souls of the deceased rest in peace. My love, respect and prayers go out to them and their families. I pray for the safety of other soldiers.

Judith Cooke Welling, Abu Dhabi

I am sad for the young men who lost their lives. It’s indeed a sad day for all the people of the UAE.

Garry James, Dubai

I admire the UAE for the respect and gratitude it shows to its soldiers and their families. I wish my home country were this appreciative of our fallen heroes.

Samantha Craig-Destine, Abu Dhabi

Live within your means

I found your article High cost of a lifestyle (September 5) startling and worrying. We must all live within our means, which sometimes requires lifestyle changes rather than being seduced by luxuries paid for on credit. Sometimes, we must go without to earn the opportunity for a more comfortable life in future.

When I first entered the work world, I lived in a small studio flat without a television or car, diligently managing my finances until I made enough money to afford something more. Even now as a homeowner with savings and investments, I carefully manage my money and do not hesitate to scale back when expenses climb.

I was taught as a child that I should not buy something that I could not afford to pay cash for, with the exception of a long-term investment, such as a house. It is a lesson that has served me well, and I can only hope that the UAE takes financial literacy more seriously – before many more sink under the weight of unnecessary debt.

Elan Faabri, Dubai

Economy and media not linked

I did not understand how the media coverage of the Indrani Mukherjea murder case can reflect the Indian economy, except that both Indrani and India start with the letter "I" (Vibrant but unruly, India needs economic reform, September 3).

In every country, the media goes through this phase until it matures. I do agree that watching Indian news channels can be painful, including Pranony Roy’s NDTV. However, this article reflects the writer’s far-fetched imagination. Nothing that she wrote has been backed up by facts.

Economic liberalisation and capitalism is not a great option for India as it has a huge labour market. Ideally India should have a socio-capitalist model. There is a reason why India’s founding fathers wanted the economic model to be what it is today. The writer seems to be ignorant about that.

Arun Prassad, India