HENRY KISSINGER (“The world in flames”, News Review, last week) gives us an instructive analysis of the ideologies currently driving jihadist movements.
What he does not mention, however, is that America during most of the last century and this has itself failed to observe the Westphalian principles of non-interference in the affairs of independent states and has often intervened to further its own ends.
It is not fanciful to think that this has contributed to the widespread resentment among young Muslims, which although not justifying the present fanaticism, partly explains its emergence.
If we believe that democracy represents the way forward, maybe the only way to effectively confront jihadists is to admit our past errors and to promote our own values simply through argument, example and assistance. It will take time, but as David Cameron says, we are in for a long struggle.
Mike Lynch
Waterbeach, Cambridge
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Facing reality
Kissinger confirms the impression that the world is in crisis and somehow the West should save it. But the reality is that huge chunks of the world do not believe in democracy, and trying to impose Western standards is doomed to failure.
This is true of the Arab/ Muslim world, most of Africa, and probably Russia and China as well. The problem is that in the modern world of television, internet and iPhones, images from conflicts are beamed into our daily lives and it creates a pressure to “do something”.
Evolution is a slow and painful process and coming to the realisation that tolerance and democracy were the best standards for the Western world did not happen overnight.
I am more concerned at how many young and middle-aged Europeans seem to hate their own societies far more than they hate the forces of autocracy and evil theocracy to Europe’s eastern and southern flanks.
Gerry Kelly
Rathgar, Dublin 6
Enlightened Thinking
Kissinger paints a terrifying picture of the roots, scope and scale of the Islamic fundamentalist threat to all of us. It is a seismic movement, like a tsunami. Though Sunni and Shia disagree among themselves, they are all part of this mind-set; they are fixated on taking the world over for Allah. This is scary, but it is better to turn on the light than to curse the dark.
Sean McElgunn
Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh
DOUBLE TAKE
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Reflecting on the Middle East tinderbox, Kissinger make no mention of Israel — a good example of US foreign policy double standards. The Camp David peace protocols agreed on by America with Israel were completely ignored by the latter, and Kissinger assumed the nation’s power could not be challenged. Thus, no real peace ensued with the Palestinians.
Paul Harty Mqabba, Malta
Schools guide loses its way on university entrance
YOUR definitive guide to Ireland’s top 400 schools (Parent Power, last week) is based on the false assumption that the prime objective of our school system is to send as many pupils as possible to university.
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The goal of our school system must be to educate and stimulate individuals to their full potential and this cannot mean sending everyone to university. In fact a good school guides and advises their students on their most appropriate further education path.
The current system with university entry is not working as can be seen by the numbers changing courses or dropping out. Parent Power should consider the costs involved in sending their children to third-level university, particularly those from rural areas, and working with the schools and individuals to ensure that the correct path for further education is chosen wisely.
The transition year could be used for individual student guidance helped by a wide range of options highlighted by local professionals including farmers, hospitality industry workers and others. The excellent one- and two-year Fetac post-Leaving Cert courses should also be explored and are useful to those who wish to take time in making up their mind on future directions.
Your league table/ranking system is crude and appears to be driven by some need to flatter the fee-paying schools. It is also biased in that those schools located in a city with a university will generally have higher numbers attending university. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that 27 of the first 30 ranked schools are located in a city with a university compared with nine in the bottom 30.
When distance from university is included as a ranking factor, the dominance of the fee-paying schools diminishes.
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It would appear from your guide that more than 50% of school-leavers enter university. It is interesting to compare Ireland with Switzerland where 25% of school-leavers enter university but which has an excellent vocational education system.
Finbar McSweeney
Glengarriff, West Cork
We need asylum from unfair taxes
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HAS Jan O’Sullivan, the education minister, considered that what she is proposing is using taxpayers’ money for people who may not have a right to be here in the first place (“Schools cash for asylum seekers”, News, last week)? The refugee appeals tribunal has refused permission to 90.6% of applicants in 2013, as reported elsewhere in The Sunday Times last week.
The people who have their appeals refused arrived in this country after travelling under their own resources from all over the African continent and the Far and Middle East and this is evident from Reception and Integration Agency reports. On arrival they are housed in the direct provision system and the state pays for their needs and medical care, which cost €55.23m in 2013. The state will also pay the legal profession to defend their rights via our legal aid system.
The minister is of the view that it is unjust not to allow the children of failed asylum seekers the rights to grants for third-level education. At the same time this minister is part of a government that thinks it is OK to place additional taxes on its own population, including the universal social charge, pension levies, household charges, water charges and septic tank fees.
Noel O’Donovan
Ballinhassig, Co Cork
It really is a lottery
While Seán McCárthaigh throws up a lot of figures regarding the lottery (“Lottery payouts are bit of a gamble”, News, last week) he misses out on the big elephant lurking in the lotto mansion and that is the fact that the chances of winning the big weekly prize is approximately 8m to one. Imagine dumping 8m numbered golf balls in a large field and asking potential punters to hand over their betting money and pick seven balls out of 8m in the belief that they might be on to a big win — that’s what millions of folks buy into each week without giving it a second thought. It has been said that the lottery is a tax on people who don’t understand maths.
Paddy O’Brien
Balbriggan, Co Dublin
POINTS
It never rains . . .
Clover Stroud (“Everybody’s free”, Style, last week) asks: “Where has the radicalism of the rave warriors gone?” and then answers: “It’s everywhere.” Not in present-day Ireland it ain’t. A country best known around the globe for rain will soon be charging its inhabitants for turning on its taps and not a protest in sight. No more acid house/home parties for us ageing ravers as we fail to meet the bills.
Tom Kinsella
Terenure, Dublin
Caught on the hop
As a regular flyer to the Middle East and Asia, I read Brian Carey’ s article (“Up in the air”, Business, last week) with interest. The most critical element to flying is making your connection within sometimes very tight time frames. Schiphol, Abu Dhabi and Charles de Gaulle are the most passenger transfer-friendly airports in the world — if you can read you will never get lost. As a business traveller, transfers present the biggest challenges to flying. Business class service within Europe from Ireland is considered to be unwarranted as most consider this a mere “hop” of a flight. Ryanair has missed these two vital points.
Denis O’Sullivan
Douglas, Cork
Spiritual vacuum
Ian McEwan doesn’t “find the thoughts of people who believe that they are watched by a sky god remotely helpful” (“File under fiction”, Magazine, last week). In other words, he has no time for, say, the poetry of John Donne or George Herbert, Gerard Manley Hopkins or T S Eliot, or the music of Palestrina or Bach. What an impoverished life.
CDC Armstrong
Belfast
Fitting tribute
Kevin Myers wrote about the disgraceful spectacle by some “rebels” at Glasnevin cemetery (“I’m not ready to hoist the white flag over liberal agenda”, Comment, last week) and the shocking failure of An Garda Siochana to deal with the disturbance. I was impressed with the prominent location of the new plinth at Glasnevin. How times have changed and in no small way due to the commitment of Myers.
Dermot Hogan
Malahide
Flying the flag for truth
Myers is calling it exactly as it is. Imagine the outrage if a garda station flew the Israeli flag or a Confederate flag.
Peter Ciarán Murphy
Co Kildare
Brave words
As one who had relatives who served in the First World War, I’ve always been grateful to Myers for his valiant efforts regarding the restoration of the War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge — not always popular to champion. However, at this time of remembrance I seek in vain to see or hear any mention of Myers in the media in recognition for his courageous work for the commemoration for the First World War. I for one would be more than happy to attend his summer school which I’m sure would avoid the celebration of ultra-nationalism and give space for the thoughts of classic liberals such as Edmund Burke.
Tony Moriarty
Dublin 6W