A very interesting article this morning, A peek behind the scenes of a quirky FNC election season (September 22). Love stalkers, camels and horses, luxury purses - what year is this again? After reading Rym Ghazal's column I feel like I'm living in a backward nation.
I'm sure there are many responsible people who take the election seriously. And of course there are people like my parents who think that connections have everything to do with the final results, hence they don't bother to vote. As for me, I'm voting for women.
I have female members in my family who follow the stereotypes. My mom for example teases that the female candidates are surrounded by men all the time and shaking hands with them. My aunts, too, worship married life more than anything else.
I'm fighting this every single day as a Master's student who is still single. It's important to me to see more women in power - that's why I vote.
Reem Al Hajji, Sharjah
America wrong to veto Palestinians
Israel is by no means the most important state in the world, but one wouldn't know it.
President Barack Obama's decision to veto the Palestinian application for UN member status will be seen in hindsight to have been the most important decision of his presidency, a decision with far-reaching effects (Diplomatic stand-off over Palestinian bid for statehood, September 22).
Yet even more important is the international awareness that US foreign policy is now controlled by the un-elected Israel lobby and its associated American Israel minority pressure groups.
That point will not be lost either in Europe, China or Russia.
What a desperately sad day for Americans, for democracy and for any possibility of world peace.
JK, London.
A tragic act of terror in Turkey
Your front page news (Ankara car bomb explodes near prime minister's office, September 21) made me strongly condemn this terrorist attack in the Turkish capital.
Shouting heard near the car-bomb site supported the terrorist attack; people could be heard screaming: "Long live our struggle." This reminded me that the PKK, the terrorist organisation behind many attacks, is probably still very active.
Killing innocent people, and kidnapping and torturing and humiliating opponents is anathema to the reasonable aims of civilised people in a civilised society.
Supporters of all these terrorist organisations, whether it is the PKK in Turkey or the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, should be condemned along with the attackers. Only then will others stop from joining them. And only then will the unbearable loss and pain of the victims' families be eased.
Ali Sedat Budak, Abu Dhabi
The PKK is a very real terrorist extremist organisation; they have a long history of such attacks like the one linked to them in Ankara this week.
Anyone trying to connect this to Mossad or any other foreign terror entity is simply ignorant or deliberately misrepresenting the facts.
This is not at all a Mossad type of operation. They do targeted assassination, but not this type of strike.
Cuneyt Ozdemir, Turkey
Area hospital gets a passing grade
I was recently admitted to the intensive care unit at New Medical Centre Speciality Hospital in Abu Dhabi. And despite negative news about the area's hospitals (Quality health care is a universal need, September 18), I had a very different experience.
My husband and I were amazed at the dedicated services of the doctors and staff in that department. Upon entering the hospital I was greeted by a doctor and a brief chat with him calmed me down to a great extent.
A cardiologist then took his time and was absolutely thorough with his patience and diagnosis.
He visited me a couple of times at the ICU even though it was his day off. Then another cardiologist gave us his full attention. He explained explicitly the procedures to me and my husband. Every time he visited, he made me feel as if I was the only patient in the whole ward. In fact I am embarrassed to say I was sad to leave.
We salute you, doctors and staff of the ICU at NMC, for your understanding, dedication, untiring and dynamic work and above all your patience with your patients.
AS Brand, Abu Dhabi
Abuse allegations are horrific
To say that the charges in this case are sick would be the understatement of the century (Man gave 7-year-old niece gonorrhea, court told, September 21).
Sadly I cannot state how sick these alleged actions make me feel, because it would never get published.
Ahmet Kianin, Dubai
Ballet story good, but details lacking
The National writes a very good article about the Ballet Russes (Ballet Russes revival brings steppes to Abu Dhabi, September 20) but don't the article fails to mention where to get tickets.
It would be nice if you could share.
Heinz van Kempen, Abu Dhabi
