Sir, – Those murderous fanatics must be systematically hunted down and promptly eliminated. Western society must never succumb to their evil intent and the Irish Government must do everything in its power to assist our European and US allies (in both word and deed) to defeat those ruthless, cowardly criminals. It is not sufficient to utter bland statements from a safe distance. – Yours, etc,
PAT O’BRIEN,
Maynooth, Co Kildare.
Sir, – Media reports referring to Islamic State (IS) bestow a status on a murder gang which must please them greatly. There appears to be no agreement on an acronym to describe these terrorists. Instead of IS, Isil, Isis, why not devise a way of describing it accurately and which, at the same time, would divorce it and its hideous aspirations from any connection to the religion of Islam. – Yours, etc,
DECLAN MacPARTLIN,
Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford.
Sir, – As per usual, after every attack we get the usual “no Islam to see here” response, with some even trying to find a quote in Islamic texts that gives the impression that it is a peaceful religion. Unfortunately one can also find numerous quotes which justify the actions of the attackers, and this is a reality which the media, politicians, celebrities and academia in the West are unable to acknowledge so they pretend it does not exist. – Yours, etc,
DERMOT COOPER,
Hong Kong.
Sir, – France had arms contracts worth €6.87 billion in 2013, up 42 per cent from €4.8 billion in 2012. Approximately 40,000 French citizens are involved in the arms industry, directly and indirectly. France is the fourth-largest exporter of arms, after the US, Russia and Britain. Saudi Arabia is a leading client, as are other states in the Middle East. France is at war with those to whom arms are sold. The arms industry needs war. We are creating military states to defend ourselves from those to whom we deal weaponry. This is a nightmare. We need to call for an end to arms-dealing and we need to invoke the God of the Christians and Muslims, the same God shared by both, to send us the wisdom to see the insanity of arms-dealing. – Yours, etc,
HOLLY MULLARKEY,
Annaghdown, Co Galway.
Sir, – I must protest Cathal O'Neill's "Irish fall into same target of 'infidels, Shia Muslims and apostates' as Paris victims" (Opinion & Analysis, November 16th). He asserts the common yet dangerous misconception that the Islamic State is neither Islamic nor a state. Both statements are entirely false.
The Islamic State is a manifestation of Islam in its most fundamental form. All of the Islamic State's policy, both foreign and domestic, is taken from the hadith and the Koran. These are not merely religious books, they are guides to establishing a caliphate. The extremist Muslims of the Islamic State have followed these instructions to the letter. In creating the Islamic State they are carrying out the will of Allah literally as they find it in the Koran. The Islamic State is also very much a state. It enforces its laws within its borders, however radical and unjust they may be, provides healthcare and possesses an army.
We can be thankful that the majority of Muslims have renounced these barbaric aspects of Islam while keeping core tenets such as charity. Yet we must not forget that incitement to violence and calls to jihad still exist in the Koran. Branding Islamic State as simply terrorist or murderers fails to acknowledge the driving force behind their violence. If Mr O’Neill and others truly wish to destroy Islamic State, understanding its motivations and purpose is far more central to this effort than deciding what to call it. – Yours, etc,
JOSHUA WALSH,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Even if Mick Wallace’s timing was a bit off, his comment is undeniably true.
Maybe you might do a feature in the near future showing the arms trail around the world, legal and illegal. – Yours, etc,
ALEC QUINN,
Limerick.
A chara, – Comments along the lines of the attacks in Paris giving “us some idea of what it must be like in Syria” or describing “US-led military intervention” as the “root cause of these types of attacks” (November 17th) show a complete misunderstanding of what it is we are dealing with.
Islamic State may use such things as a recruiting tool; but they are not motivated by them. What drives them is a burning passion for the annihilation of all that is not in full conformity with their own particular worldview. This means not only their own brand of Islam in the countries of the Middle East, but globally. This requires the complete destruction of western civilisation and our way of life.
What they did in Palmyra they hope to do to the Parthenon; the crucifixions they carry out in the lands they control they dream of doing in ours and everywhere else in the world. Wringing our hands over the policies of the West won’t stop them. In fact, it probably brings a smile to their faces. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny.
Sir, – France and the French people were ridiculed in the United States for having the temerity to oppose the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
“French fries” became “freedom fries” and Americans were implored to shun French goods so as to punish the French for their perceived lack of support for the very country that landed on the beaches of Normandy in 1944.
The French were merely trying to point out that Iraq was not responsible for the September 11th attacks, that the evidence pointing to “weapons of mass destruction” was sketchy to say the least and a US-led invasion of the Middle East would create many more problems than it would solve.
How right they were and how ironic that they now bear the brunt of this poorly conceived adventure. – Yours, etc,
JOHN LOMBARD,
Dublin 14.