I refer to your editorial <em>Al Sadr's role will shape Iraq's political future</em> (January 7). How ungrateful Muqtada al Sadr is. If it were not for the Americans and the British liberating Iraq from the despot Saddam Hussein, would he be able to stand and speak so freely or would he be still hiding in Iran? The Sadr family is an ancient Iraqi family that sacrificed a great deal and suffered years of Baathist persecution, but Mr Sadr should show more integrity and give credit where it is due. Would the Shiites of Iraq be in power today without the help and indeed sacrifice of the Americans? OK, there was a big mess after the removal of Saddam Hussein but who was doing the killing? Sadr's hands are not that clean in this matter either. <strong>Shamal Karim</strong>, Abu Dhabi I do wish that Empost would concentrate on its core business of delivering mail to its customers in a timely fashion. It happens frequently and I just had to write about today's receipts: a seasonal greeting card postmarked January 12 from Abu Dhabi, a cheque postmarked November 11 from Dubai and an invitation postmarked November 11 from Abu Dhabi. All these were clearly and correctly addressed. <strong>JW</strong>, Dubai In reference to the front page article <em>Corporal punishment still rife in schools</em> (January 9), beating students is not uncommon in this part of the world. And as mentioned in part of the article, this should be taken seriously only if it is life-threatening. A few weeks back, an article published by The National on the new wave of western teachers who left Abu Dhabi due to the behaviour of children in the public schools, shows you that these children have to be treated differently. Speaking for myself, I think it did more good than harm being punished at school and it did help make me a better person. <strong>Omar al Busaidy</strong>, Abu Dhabi I refer to the article<em> Dogs banned from Abu Dhabi's parks and beaches</em> (January 7). Why pick on dog owners in regards to keeping the city clean? It's not dogs the authorities should be worried about, it's humans. The mess I see in parks and around the city is caused by the mindless actions of humans leaving rubbish behind them, no doubt with the attitude "someone else can clean it up". The Government would be better served taking action against humans for littering and handing out fines for that instead of a pointless ban on dogs that makes no difference whatsoever to the city being clean. Yes, there are a few irresponsible dog owners who don't clean up their mess and that's not acceptable, but the vast majority of owners are very responsible so it's not right to punish the majority for the ignorance of a minority. Have you been to the beach opposite Yas Marina Circuit where the kite surfers go just off the Khalifa Highway? We took our dogs up there last week for a run around and the place looked like a refuse tip. People are camping there and leaving everything behind them including dirty nappies, plastic bags and beer tins. If the Government wants to look after the environment and keep Abu Dhabi clean, they should tackle these issues instead of banning dogs. My wife and I volunteer with Strays of Abu Dhabi and try to deal with abandoned dogs, a problem which the ban may make more common. <strong>Desi Aitcheson</strong>, Abu Dhabi There should be a clear policy for penalising and rewarding dog owners according to their behaviour and not banning. Dogs need places to run, exercise, and socialise. This will contribute to developing a gentle tempered dog. I am a dog owner. I walk my dog every day. All dog owners I come across are responsible. However, when dog owners rely on their domestic staff for walking their dogs, this becomes another issue. <strong>Samar al Ogaidi</strong>, Abu Dhabi I beg to differ on the letter writer's view expressed in <em>A woman's view of Islamic jurisprudence </em>(January 5). Let's say the abuser is the one who is supposed to provide you with this long and short term safety and security. Will you still have the courage to demand your rights when you have never travelled far distances alone? I don't think so. The ones who uphold these laws are men who have legal authority over women within a patriarchal structure. Imagine that you then try to testify when your words are only worth half of your male opponent. It is true that in countries that claim equal status for women, women still get abused or violated, but at least they can put forward their cases on an equal footing. <strong>R Sanders</strong>, Abu Dhabi
