Whilst the world is in turmoil with Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Sri Lanka on the brink of civil war, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tries to cash in on the deteriorating health of ailing Cuban president Fidel Castro by talking of "democracy" and making veiled references to regime change - as though the US didn't have enough trouble on its hands already!

A more diplomatic approach would have been a get-well message - this would have had more of an effect on the Cuban population. Since Rice holds a doctorate, I would have expected that she would add some intellectual strength to this US government's credibility, but alas she seems only able to parrot the well-worn and discredited script of her warring president George W Bush.

My guess is that Rice is keeping in close proximity with her boss in order to make a run for the presidency in 2008. God help us all.

R Richards

Bangkok

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Hizbollah  will not be satisfied until Israel is totally destroyed

In his recent speech to the Islamic Conference, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran said the solution to the Middle East crisis was to destroy Israel. This was reported by Iran's state media. But he also added first there should be a cease-fire. In other words, Israel should agree to a cease-fire so that Iran can supply more missiles and rockets to Hizbollah with which to destroy Israel. Anyone truly interested in knowing why there is no peace in the Middle East just has to read the speeches of those in power in Hamas, Hizbollah and Iran. They do not want any peace in which Israel survives. And so the bloodshed continues.

 Whenever Israel pulls out of areas such as Gaza and Lebanon, that gives the people there a choice. They can build up their infrastructure and turn desert into a lush land as Israel did, or they can fire rockets and missiles into Israel and start a war. People who blame Israel for the violence in the Middle East love to give Muslim fanatics a free pass. Fortunately, they get no free pass from Israel. This war will end when Lebanon disarms Hizbollah and posts its army to the southern border as the United Nations asked it to do.

Dean Barrett

Bangkok

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Acceptance of differences key to resolving Mideast crisis

As the situation in the Middle East continues to boil arguments are being put forward by all sides about who holds the righteous position. Whatever the strengths of any of the points of view or even hard factual evidence the only way that the situation can be resolved is by mutual acceptance of each others' current and historical political positions.

The Israelis for their part should accept they could never eliminate Hizbollah, Hamas et al. These "terrorist" groups are known as benevolent organisations and have massive support amongst the people in their own territories and countries abroad. Apart from funding community projects, these groups assist with humanitarian projects, provide for the needy and the victims of war; their battles with Israel only heighten their esteem amongst the people. The Israeli attacks and retaliatory strikes that devastate their lands only deepen the hatred against the Jews and increase the support for groups such as Hamas and Hizbollah. It is a perpetual cycle of destruction.  On their part, the Palestinians/Arabs must accept that they will never annihilate Israel and "wipe it off the map" - this strategy is only one road to mutual destruction where there can be no winner. Israel is where it is; and no matter what force or attempts by any other nation, this will never change.

All parties have to accept that what is done is done - and look towards building a better future for their people - then I believe the whole international community would rally round to rebuild this region of the world, giving it the peace, stability and prosperity that most of its people yearn for.

KW

Bangkok

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Thaksin's visit with junta a stain on his political legacy

Re: "Thaksin's Burma trip a disgrace", Editorial, August 5.

Your editorial referred to the "ailing" General Than Shwe. We have been told by our medical contacts in Burma that they expect Than Shwe to die within one year from multi-organ failure due to his losing battle with late-stage diabetes. Late-stage diabetes leads to heart attacks, amputations and blindness.

In the 1970s, General Ne Win was the first foreign leader to visit mass-murderer Pol Pot in Cambodia. Thaksin will also be remembered as the first foreign leader to visit the jungle capital of another alleged mass-murderer, Than Shwe. Thaksin cannot take his money to his grave. But his reputation and lack of democratic values will survive long after his death.

Myint Thein

Senior Adviser to the Burmese Resistance

Dallas, Texas

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PM needs to come forward with the true purpose of trip

Re: "Thaksin's Burma trip a disgrace", Editorial, August 5. Even though the truth behind caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's quick trip to Burma on Wednesday may never be revealed to the public, the PM's lame explanation has raised suspicions that he may have made this trip for his own benefit, not for the good of his country or for Asean.

What harm could this do to the country? By showing his business-oriented weakness, Thaksin may have opened an opportunity for the dictatorial Burmese junta to use him, in his official capacity, to their advantage. That could be very damaging to our country.

Only Thaksin can clear up the matter by coming out with the whole truth about this Burma visit. After all, he is just a caretaker PM with limited authority to have made such a trip in the first place.

Chavalit Van

Chiang Mai

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A park, not a mall would be a better use of Don Muang site

Apparently, it's been decided that Don Muang airport will be turned into a shopping mall. I'm not surprised that the Thai Rak Thai Party's head honchos embrace such an uninspired money-driven concept. What about putting a park on the grounds? Bangkok is a giant city with only a few small parks and no jogging or bicycle trails. Have any of the city fathers dared think the Don Muang buildings could be devoted to museums that would inspire young people - perhaps focusing on environmental husbandry and aspiring inventors? Could Bangkok citizens benefit from learning about alternative energy? Naw, it's too exotic a concept. Maybe 50 years from now, their kids' kids will be receptive to such innovative ideas. Heck, in 50 years, the new airport will be under an inland sea.

But no, we get a mall, which we need like another traffic jam - likely run by a cadre of Thai Rak Thai buddies salivating at the thought of the stall fees - as they stroll down the aisles of merchants selling redundant consumer items. And what mall in Thailand is complete without ear splitting noise assaults from all directions?

Ken Albertsen

Chiang Rai

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Report ignored contrasting opinions on global warming

Re: "Al Gore's warning", News, August 6. In discussing an issue of as much importance and complexity as global warming it's vital to separate the wheat from the chaff, something The Nation failed to do in its front page article about the movie "An Inconvenient Truth". First of all, while there is strong evidence for global warming, the evidence concerning the level of global warming over the next hundred years needs to take into account technological changes. It is simply inconceivable that life as we know it will stay exactly the same, but Al Gore leads you to think that in his presentation of half-truths.

In the next hundred years we could see significantly different forms of technologies. The movie rightly raises the issue of the necessity for cleaner technologies but does not go far enough or always make the soundest suggestions. Appropriate policy should go towards the development and encouragement of cleaner technologies - zero emission cars for example. Another important policy would be to encourage nuclear power - much friendlier to the environment than fossil fuels or just about any other energy source capable of powering a city. But Al Gore completely ignores this important truth, the reinvigoration of the nuclear power industry, which makes you wonder to what degree he sincerely cares about the environment and to what degree he simply wants to score political points with a credulous and fearful populace.

The Nation should have invited critics of the movie to comment about these and other questions they had with the movie. One problem with the global warming issue is that just about everything that happens related to the environment gets thrown under the same blanket assumption that global warming is the cause. Long term statistics on warming patterns are evidence for global warming, but day to day changes in temperature are not. Flooding in Chiang Mai could be due to other causes, but the easiest thing to do is just throw up our hands and say: "Oh, it must be global warming." The West Nile Virus spreading to other places besides Africa is the result of mosquitoes making it across the Atlantic. Global warming has nothing to do with that. Ditto for the avian flu. Most importantly, as I mentioned, we have no idea how bad warming will be in 100 years, as we don't know the kinds of technological changes that will occur in that time.

Perhaps the most important point that needs to be made is that providing data on warming and then forming policy for what we should do about it are separate tasks. Climate experts can tell us about the first one, but don't know anything about the second issue. For that, we need to turn to economists, who can recommend ways to use our resources most efficiently.

This is necessary so that we don't inadvertently make the wrong policy choices that could actually make warming worse. It is sound economic and engineering choices that will help us deal with global warming, not scare tactics.

Linda Tsukamoto

Chiang Mai