Dear Sir,
I would like to draw the attention of authorities towards the perennial traffic jam at the Al Watan petrol station roundabout in the Industrial Area. Traffic coming from Salwa Road and the Karwa roundabout gets stuck there for long: it takes almost 40 to 50 minutes to cross the busy roundabout near the petrol station.
At first sight, it will seem the bottleneck is created by the ongoing construction work in the vicinity but this impression is wrong. It is really because of vehicles, especially heavy/commercial trucks, waiting to fill fuel at the petrol station. The long line of vehicles waiting to go to the petrol station holds up traffic in the stretch, creating the jam.
Slight modifications could improve the traffic flow there. For instance, authorities may close entrance from one side and let vehicles take U-turn to reach the petrol station, at least during peak hours.
A picture of the traffic jam I have taken illustrates the problem.
Asad Yousuf Choudhry
(e-mail address supplied)
Change of heart in Washington?
Dear Sir,
President Barack Obama, in his address to the graduation ceremony at West Point military academy last week, said America must always lead on the world stage, but must not rush to war. (“Obama warns US must lead the world, but not rush to war”, Gulf Times, May 29, and the paper’s editorial on the subject the next day).
There is no reason to think that America has suddenly developed any regrets over its series of military adventures since World War II but it is comforting to a certain extent that an American president at least has the courage to admit its “mistakes” now.
As Obama himself has referred to, the military intervention in Iraq has been a costly mistake that the US had made in recent times. A war launched on the pretext that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and its alleged Al Qaeda links had literally destroyed a rich and historic nation.
Former US president George W Bush had offered Iraqi people “independence” from Saddam Hussein and democracy for their comprehensive growth and development prior to the US invasion.
Bush is now enjoying his retirement life with his family but the Iraqi people are still suffering from the after-effects of the US military action.
Obama seems to have regrets over the “grave mistake” the US had committed in Iraq and pronounces that America must lead on the world stage” - but should use its military power judiciously. That is fine but who will compensate for the loss of thousands of lives and homes in Iraq resulting from the US invasion? Who should be held responsible for that dreadful crime? There are international laws to resort to if one’s human rights are abused. Is there any international law that could be applied if a country is attacked on false accusations?
While referring to America’s Iraq intervention, Obama classifies it as a “costly mistake”. It is quite obvious that he is referring to the cost incurred by America, including the loss of lives of their soldiers. But the loss suffered by the victim of this “costly mistake” is hardly mentioned.
Lately, the American administration seems to have recognised that leadership is the need of the hour than a military solution in tackling world problems. As a developed nation, America’s leadership, in the right direction, could work better than its military might.
But, as your editorial has rightly pointed out, whether the US will follow Obama’s words in letter and spirit is not clear as weapon exports form an integral part of its foreign trade revenue.
K K Nazimudeen
P O Box 441
Doha