Kudos to Abu Dhabi for its extraordinary growth

Readers have their say on Iraq, gaming, Abu Dhabi and mobile phones

The UAE resident repeatedly complained about chipped paint and mould but the issues were never resolved. Delores Johnson / The National

In reference to Deborah Lindsay Williams's op-ed Nostalgia makes us long for the past even as we enjoy the present (April 10), about two decades ago I visited the UAE capital from Sharjah, where I was living and working at the time.

What fascinated me most about the city at the time was the beautiful Corniche and tall, high-rise buildings reflecting the riches of the UAE. When I later visited again in 2007, shortly before my retirement, I couldn’t really identify the city looked much the same.

However, since then, Abu Dhabi has expanded at an unprecedented speed. Kudos to the city for its extraordinary growth story.

K Ragavan, Bangalore

The passage of time brings perspective to past decisions

I refer to your article by Hassan Abdulrazzak We assumed that by removing Saddam Hussein, all of Iraq's problems would be magically solved. We were wrong (April 8). As far as I am concerned, peace will only be restored in Iraq if the Shias and Sunnis talk to each other constructively and shun violence. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has seen persistent and unprecedented violence and mayhem. In 2003, foreign powers were convinced of the need to bring about regime change in the country. The passage of time always brings perspective to the decisions of the past.

Rajendra Aneja, Dubai

Computer gaming sparks passion among its fans

I recently came across an old article of yours How PlayStation changed the gaming world (December 2014).

I am a very passionate gamer. I try to keep abreast of everything that has to do with gaming and I was pleased to read your very good article on PlayStation.

The fact that your newspaper is giving space to discussions about gaming and providing fresh information and reporting is very positive.

Rilind Elezaj, San Francisco

Despite the fines, reckless drivers still use their phones

I write in reference to your article More than 12,000 motorists fined for using mobile phones while driving in Dubai (April 8): it seems that many people have enough money to pay fines and despite the laws put in place, they have not learned their lesson. Perhaps higher fines could deter mobile phone use. But in my view the reason this continues is that motorists have little regard for the rules and no fear in breaking them. I have on multiple occasions been forced to honk to get motorists to put down their phones.

This behaviour is risky and leads people to drive erratically, for instance driving slowly in the fast lane and applying their brakes for no reason. I now use public transport to commute so I am saved from such behaviour. A mobile phone can be very important in an emergency. But if you need to use it while on the roads, stop and park safely where you will not endanger other road users. Enough is enough.

Mathew Litty, Dubai