Encourage Mars mission aspirants

A reader congratulates Khalid Al Jaaidi for his courage to sign up for the Mars mission. Other topics: Iraq, beIN Sports, Dubai's property market, road safety, Musharraf

A reader applauds Khalid Al Jaaidi's for his courage to sign up for the Mars mission. Courtesy Khalid Al Jaaidi

As one of the 1,058 who passed the first cut in the race to go to Mars, I would like to congratulate Khalid Al Jaaidi (Dad, I'm moving out ... to Mars, January 6).

While there are plenty of sceptical people out there who would say that the MarsOne mission is impossible or suicidal, I look at it as an obstacle that can be overcome with human ingenuity. So there should not be any reason for a person not to try it out, at least.

The MarsOne team is currently attempting a crowdfunding exercise. Let’s be brave and support the mission and vision.

Name withheld by request

Time for Iraqia to take guard against aggressions

The report Iraqi security forces preparing "major attack" to retake Fallujah from militants (January 6) clearly shows the depth of insurgency in the country. There is no end in sight to the fighting and killing of innocent people in the country. It is indeed an alarming trend and seriously affecting the region's security.

Even though there have been several measures put in place to stop violence, frequent recurrence of incidents has proven that the efforts have been failing. In fact, guns never fell silent in the recent past in the country.

The country is preparing for the first parliamentary poll in April this year, but the spike in violence is likely to affect the electoral process.

Meanwhile, it is critical for the country to remain united and deal with the challenges together. That will help Iraqis to create a better living condition for themselves. It is time for the people of Iraq to safeguard themselves from aggressions and violence.

Ramachandran Nair, Oman

beIN Sports has confused fans

I appreciate The National for publishing the plight of football fans following Al Jazeera Sports' change of name to beIN Sports, Football fans still waiting for rebranded sports channel to reinstate live games (January 4). We are confused as to which channels are open to the subscribers of all the previous Al Jazeera Sports channels.

Now there are so many channels, some of which have no sound, while others that are meant to broadcast specific matches show something else.

The HD channels are also in a mess. The HD1 channel has no sound and several others don’t open. They have just left the customers to fend for themselves.

Ghassan Beidas, Lebanon

Monthly payments can be the answer

I refer to your news article Warnings as Dubai growth surge expected to continue (January 5).

I think investors should not be faulted for flipping. If someone is silly enough to pay an inflated price, then people would take advantage of them.

What would drastically change the market dynamic is if companies stopped paying rent in one cheque and let the market function like elsewhere in the world by paying monthly.

This would stop landlords having chunks of cash to then reinvest in other properties thereby keeping the cycle going.

Brett Pearson, Abu Dhabi

Police need to be more proactive

I am commenting on the article 40 new traffic radars to be installed on Abu Dhabi highways (January 5). I think that despite having radars, police personnel should always monitor traffic and fine those who break rules.

Immediate action would help to check violations more effectively.

Teri Adams, United States

I think that the only answer to this problem is the new radar that calculates the speed from A to B, and not only in front of the camera.

Kim Falck Petersen, Denmark

Musharraf is not so guilty

I refer to the article No-show for Pakistan's Musharraf in treason case (January 1). I believe Gen Musharraf did not abrogate or subvert the Constitution or clamp down Martial Law at any stage. In fact, parliament and courts functioned normally under his watch.

The Supreme Court had validated his takeover of power. He simply held some clauses of the Martial Law in abeyance, which was never a culpable offence (and all through his tenure up to 2008) until 2010, when the word “abeyance” was added by Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League (N). The words “high treason” and “dictator” should not be used for him. If the army chief is described as a traitor then no Pakistani can be defined otherwise.

At best he can be charged with “holding the Constitution in abeyance”, but then again the imposition Emergency laws is a provision under the same Constitution itself.

Mohammad Hamza, Dubai