Diplomacy, de-escalation the only way out of danger
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.
WAR
Any nation deploying a nuclear bomb is guaranteed complete destruction of its own people. In this day and age, the ownership of such destructive weapons seems to be the big stick the bullies of this world wave and threaten.
Trump's ever-changing story and threats to Iran seem to respond to the immediate (for example, the complete evacuation of Tehran's 10 million citizens) with little thought to the future. Where are the voices of thinking leaders and their governments? Surely, they are not all short-sighted.
The solution rests with the citizens of these nations to rise up, take to the streets in their millions and remove these blinkered madmen and bring some order to humankind. De-escalation and diplomacy are the only way out of these dangerous days, and governments must lead and bring peaceful solutions to the world. Unfortunately, the UN seems powerless.
Ron Reynolds, Templestowe
None of our business
We are best reminded that in 2003 America waged war on Iraq based on it having ″weapons of mass destruction″. This was false information and many an Australian lost their life or received horrific injuries including their mental health through John Howard sending troops.
In late March this year, the American security agencies stated Iran was not building nuclear weapons. A week or so ago it was revealed Iran wasn't fully complying with its obligations to open its files up. Despite the US intelligence service's advice, Israel 'knows' Iraq is preparing nuclear weapons.
No evidence presented, just us relying on their version of truth. Sound familiar? Now the blundering President Trump has announced he might even go to war with Iran over Israel's claim.
Undoubtedly, if he does, he will call on other nations to join him – even after he spreads doom and gloom through his never-quite-finalised tariffs. Let's hope our government and the Coalition see though this madness and not join in what really isn't our business.
John Rome, Mt Lawley, WA
Learn from Good Friday Agreement
Thank you to your correspondent (Letters, 18/6) for referencing the current events in the Middle East to both Greek tragedy and the Irish Troubles. These themes are also linked by the Northern Ireland poet Michael Longley in his poem Ceasefire, which was coincidentally published on the eve of the Good Friday Agreement in 1994 also uses the imagery of The Trojan Wars.
When tired of the carnage due to the conflict, the Trojan King, Priam, meets Achilles, who had killed Priam's son Hector in retaliation for Hector killing Patroclus, who was Achilles lifelong friend. King Priam sighs: 'I get down on my knees and do what must be done, and kiss Achilles' hand, the killer of my son'.
Unlike Northern Ireland, as yet it appears no one in the current conflict is capable of the insight or courage to do the same.
Jill Grogan, Albert Park
Chilling replay of 2003 Gulf War
The latest dismissal by Trump of the advice from various independent sources and his own spy chief that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon seems to be a chilling replay of the events preceding the Gulf war in 2003.
The power vacuum in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein led, despite the fall of the despot, to a boom in extremism by Al-Qaeda and the rise of ISIS. We can expect again the destruction of a country, the misery of its people and the probable subsequent ominous rise of a new regime that could be even more dangerous to peace in the region.
We require an immediate ceasefire, followed by a comprehensive political solution to a festering issue plaguing the Middle East. If Trump can bring this off, instead of escalating the violence, hats off to him.
Trichur Vidyasagar, Doncaster
THE FORUM
Practical, not ideological
Re ″If it acts like a public utility, why the outsourcing?″ (Letters, 19/6). The metro rail transport system and its physical assets remain in public ownership. The system is operated under franchise by a privately-owned company heavily-conditioned by the contracts it entered into with the government.
Your correspondents have not complained about the service, which is generally good. The issue seems to be ″ownership″ with your correspondents, favouring public operation of the system for reasons which are not especially clear, although I detect disaffection with profit-making.
For me, the tests are practical, not ideological. If the test is service, which is good; and price, which is set by the government at a reasonable rate with an increasing range of free journeys; then the case for continuing private operation seems quite strong.
Those favouring public operation of the system will have to demonstrate that a public service department could operate the system better and more cheaply than the private operator.
Michael Angwin, Hawthorn
Lower the fares
If we hadn't privatised public transport it would have been an easy step to implement a low flat fare, or even make some travel free, as the Queensland government has done. This would negate the need for ticket inspectors and be a win for commuters, traffic flow and the environment as more commuters use the service.
Vikki O'Neill, Ashburton
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
US appeals court allows Trump control of National Guard in LA
A US appeals court on Thursday ruled that President Donald Trump could continue control of National Guard troops in Los Angeles, over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom. Trump ordered the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines into Los Angeles this month in response to protests over federal immigration sweeps -- a move opposed by city leaders and Newsom. A lower court judge had last week ordered Trump to return control of the California National Guard to Newsom, saying the president's decision to deploy them to protest-hit Los Angeles was "illegal." But a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that Trump was within his rights when he ordered 4,000 members of the National Guard into service for 60 days to "protect federal personnel performing federal functions and to protect federal property." "Affording appropriate deference to the President's determination, we conclude that he likely acted within his authority in federalizing the National Guard," they said in their 38-page ruling. Trump celebrated the decision in a post on Truth Social Thursday night, calling it a "BIG WIN." "All over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done," Trump wrote. - 'Not a king' - The state of California had argued that Trump's order was illegal because it did not follow the procedure of being issued through the governor. The judges said Trump's "failure to issue the federalization order directly 'through' the Governor of California does not limit his otherwise lawful authority to call up the National Guard." But the panel said it disagreed with the defendants' primary argument that the president's decision to federalize members of the California National Guard "is completely insulated from judicial review." Governor Newsom responded to the decision saying Trump "is not a king and not above the law." "Tonight, the court rightly rejected Trump's claim that he can do whatever he wants with the National Guard and not have to explain himself to a court," he posted on X. "We will not let this authoritarian use of military soldiers against citizens go unchecked." Newsom added in a separate post on his personal X account "the fight doesn't end here", adding "we will press forward with our challenge to President Trump's authoritarian use of US military soldiers against citizens." The state could request the case to be reheard, or it could petition the Supreme Court for intervention. - Immigration tensions - The ruling comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions in Los Angeles, which has become ground zero of Trump's immigration crackdown across the United States. The city has seen scattered violence but mostly peaceful protests in recent weeks, ignited by an escalation in federal immigration sweeps that have targeted migrant workers in garment factories, car washes and other workplaces. Local media reported further raids across the city on Thursday targeting Home Depot stores, a home improvement retailer where day laborers often gather in parking lots seeking work. The protests, though largely peaceful, saw sporadic and spectacular violence. Damage included vandalism, looting, clashes with law enforcement and several torched driverless taxis. Trump, who has repeatedly exaggerated the scale of the unrest, also sent 700 US Marines to Los Angeles despite the objections of local officials, claiming that they had lost control of the "burning" city. It was the first time since 1965 that a US president deployed the National Guard over the wishes of a state governor. Trump appointed two of the judges on the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit panel, and former president Joe Biden appointed the third, the New York Times reported Thursday.
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Social media ban for children is ‘destined to fail' unless parents address their own smart phone addiction, pyschologist warns
Australia is just six months away from bringing in a world-leading law to ban children under 16 from social media but experts say more needs to be done before it comes into effect. Psychologist Danielle Einstein, who briefed the draft legislation for the ban, was on Weekend Sunrise on Saturday to address how it could work. Previously Einstein warned the ban would 'fail miserably' unless the federal government tackles screen addiction first. 'We need a few different things. First of all, we need doctors and psychologists asking patients when they come in with mental health issues about their tech use,' she told Weekend Sunrise. 'It should just be part of normal conversation — 'let's have a look, how many hours were you on here?' 'It's a part of the way we are trying to handle ourselves, and if someone has anxiety and depression, and you miss it because it's not seen as alright to ask about it and the doctors are embarrassed or if the patient makes it seem as if it's not OK (for asking).' Einstein said she didn't mean doctors had to go into extreme detail of how a person uses social media and technology but said conversations around tech use needed to be a part of a 'digital health check' in the same way doctors use a suicide screening. She also said a big public health campaign would be needed to 'expose the addictive' nature of social media and the corresponding health effects it may have on Australians. 'Both students and parents may realise that this isn't actually healthy for them,' Einstein said. For parents wondering what to do now, before the ban is imposed, Einstein encouraged adults to lead by example and cut back on their own technology use. 'The most important thing a parent can do is model,' she said. 'Parents need to be aware of what we do when we walk into the house (or when) at the dinner table: 'Do I have a phone that's near me?'' Einstein said using phones during arguments between parents to show the other person they were wrong had also become common practice but this could be easily stopped if phones are put out of sight. Despite the potential difficulties with executing the ban, Einstein said the federal government's decision to prevent harm to young Australian's should be looked at as a 'tremendous success' as other countries look to follow our example. 'We are leading the world, and we should be very proud of that,' Einstein said. 'Around the world, we've seen people wake up and start to question tech use. 'In Spain, there are paediatric guidelines coming out to show children from zero to six shouldn't have technology, aside for supervised use.' The social media ban for children under 16 years old is expected to come into effect in December 2025. The ban was first announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last year, who said he was 'calling time on it' due to a number of tragic deaths relating to bullying on social media. But there is yet no guarantee technologies aimed at blocking young kids from social media will always work, according to early trial results. While the early findings of a federal government-commissioned trial found age assurance technologies are available, there's no silver bullet. 'Age assurance can be done in Australia and can be private, robust and effective,' the report found. 'We found a plethora of approaches that fit use cases in different ways. 'But we did not find a single ubiquitous solution that would suit all use cases, nor did we find solutions that were guaranteed to be effective in all deployments.' Under the social media ban, platforms will have to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from creating new accounts and could face millions in fines for systemic breaches of the new rules. Cabinet minister Murray Watt maintained the need for restrictions around social media. 'The Australian people believe that we do need to see some restrictions around social media use when it comes to young people,' he told ABC News on Friday. 'Unfortunately, it has become an insidious force, both for young people and more widely.' Australia's ban is world-leading and, in the aftermath of the November passage of federal laws, other nations indicated a desire to emulate the measure. However, the legislation does not indicate how exactly the ban will be executed. The report found parental control and consent systems could be effective when first introduced. But there is 'limited evidence' that they would be effective as children grow up or allow kids the right to participate in the breadth of digital experiences. Even after the coalition helped secure an amendment to ensure Australians wouldn't have to provide any form of government identification to verify their age, the trial found there was a risk of privacy breaches. Some age assurance service providers had over-anticipated the needs of regulators and built tools that led to an 'unnecessary and disproportionate collection and retention of data'. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh has urged Labor to confirm what technology or verification tools will be used to protect kids online. 'No more young lives can be lost or families destroyed because of the toxicity of social media,' she said in a statement. The Age Assurance Technology Trial's final report is expected to be published later in 2025.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Home stretch: Indians strike a pose for world yoga day
Tens of thousands of people across India have stretched in public parks and on sandy beaches to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga. The mass yoga sessions were held on Saturday in many Indian states, where crowds attempted various poses and practised breathing exercises. Indian military personnel also performed yoga in the icy heights of Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas and on naval ships anchored in the Bay of Bengal. Similar sessions were planned in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. "I feel that yoga keeps us spiritually fit, mentally fit and helps us manage stress," said Rajiv Ranjan, who participated in an event in the Indian capital of New Delhi. "That's why I feel that people should take out at least 30 minutes every day for yoga to keep themselves fit." Yoga is one of India's most successful cultural exports after Bollywood. It has also been enlisted for diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has harnessed it for cultural soft power as the country takes on a larger role in world affairs. Modi persuaded the UN to designate the annual International Day of Yoga in 2014. The theme this year was "Yoga for One Earth, One Health". Modi performed yoga among a seaside crowd in the southern city of Visakhapatnam city, and said, "Yoga leads us on a journey towards oneness with world." Amid a checkerboard of yoga mats covering the beach, Modi took his spot on a mat and did breathing exercises, backbends and other poses. "Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes global policy," he said. As Modi has pushed yoga, ministers, government officials and Indian military personnel have gone on social media to show themselves folding in different poses. Tens of thousands of people across India have stretched in public parks and on sandy beaches to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga. The mass yoga sessions were held on Saturday in many Indian states, where crowds attempted various poses and practised breathing exercises. Indian military personnel also performed yoga in the icy heights of Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas and on naval ships anchored in the Bay of Bengal. Similar sessions were planned in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. "I feel that yoga keeps us spiritually fit, mentally fit and helps us manage stress," said Rajiv Ranjan, who participated in an event in the Indian capital of New Delhi. "That's why I feel that people should take out at least 30 minutes every day for yoga to keep themselves fit." Yoga is one of India's most successful cultural exports after Bollywood. It has also been enlisted for diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has harnessed it for cultural soft power as the country takes on a larger role in world affairs. Modi persuaded the UN to designate the annual International Day of Yoga in 2014. The theme this year was "Yoga for One Earth, One Health". Modi performed yoga among a seaside crowd in the southern city of Visakhapatnam city, and said, "Yoga leads us on a journey towards oneness with world." Amid a checkerboard of yoga mats covering the beach, Modi took his spot on a mat and did breathing exercises, backbends and other poses. "Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes global policy," he said. As Modi has pushed yoga, ministers, government officials and Indian military personnel have gone on social media to show themselves folding in different poses. Tens of thousands of people across India have stretched in public parks and on sandy beaches to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga. The mass yoga sessions were held on Saturday in many Indian states, where crowds attempted various poses and practised breathing exercises. Indian military personnel also performed yoga in the icy heights of Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas and on naval ships anchored in the Bay of Bengal. Similar sessions were planned in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. "I feel that yoga keeps us spiritually fit, mentally fit and helps us manage stress," said Rajiv Ranjan, who participated in an event in the Indian capital of New Delhi. "That's why I feel that people should take out at least 30 minutes every day for yoga to keep themselves fit." Yoga is one of India's most successful cultural exports after Bollywood. It has also been enlisted for diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has harnessed it for cultural soft power as the country takes on a larger role in world affairs. Modi persuaded the UN to designate the annual International Day of Yoga in 2014. The theme this year was "Yoga for One Earth, One Health". Modi performed yoga among a seaside crowd in the southern city of Visakhapatnam city, and said, "Yoga leads us on a journey towards oneness with world." Amid a checkerboard of yoga mats covering the beach, Modi took his spot on a mat and did breathing exercises, backbends and other poses. "Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes global policy," he said. As Modi has pushed yoga, ministers, government officials and Indian military personnel have gone on social media to show themselves folding in different poses. Tens of thousands of people across India have stretched in public parks and on sandy beaches to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga. The mass yoga sessions were held on Saturday in many Indian states, where crowds attempted various poses and practised breathing exercises. Indian military personnel also performed yoga in the icy heights of Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas and on naval ships anchored in the Bay of Bengal. Similar sessions were planned in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. "I feel that yoga keeps us spiritually fit, mentally fit and helps us manage stress," said Rajiv Ranjan, who participated in an event in the Indian capital of New Delhi. "That's why I feel that people should take out at least 30 minutes every day for yoga to keep themselves fit." Yoga is one of India's most successful cultural exports after Bollywood. It has also been enlisted for diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has harnessed it for cultural soft power as the country takes on a larger role in world affairs. Modi persuaded the UN to designate the annual International Day of Yoga in 2014. The theme this year was "Yoga for One Earth, One Health". Modi performed yoga among a seaside crowd in the southern city of Visakhapatnam city, and said, "Yoga leads us on a journey towards oneness with world." Amid a checkerboard of yoga mats covering the beach, Modi took his spot on a mat and did breathing exercises, backbends and other poses. "Let this Yoga Day mark the beginning of Yoga for humanity 2.0, where inner peace becomes global policy," he said. As Modi has pushed yoga, ministers, government officials and Indian military personnel have gone on social media to show themselves folding in different poses.
