The wrong decision
I completely agree with Linda Heard’s comment (“Killing Gaddafi not such a good idea after all”, Gulf News, October 25). Killing is directly depicting sadism, and expressing violent behaviour is in no way helping a dictator or any individual to learn from a mistake, thereby the opportunity is lost once and for all. For the sake of argument, one could say that Gaddafi’s killing is a reflection of the frustration that the Libyan community was going through during the last four decades. While so much ambiguity lies in the death of Gaddafi, it proves that the uprising had no proper planning to end the crisis, such as what could be done if Gaddafi was caught alive. The death could be the result of over-enjoyment that the Libyan people were looking forward to since February. After all, it is the sole responsibility of the people who spearheaded such a movement to safeguard their ruler from falling at the hands of civilians to decide his future, which illustrates complete disorder in the situation. In my opinion, the killing of people who ruled their countries for decades has conveniently taken away their opportunity to witness the alterations of opulence being propagated by opposite groups. They should have been given the opportunity to live in their country, obviously in different circumstances, and realise the value and tolerance of simple living.

From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Ruwi, Oman
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The right decision

I disagree with the idea that killing Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi was a bad idea. Maybe not ideal, but it means an instant end to what was happening with no further stirring of the pot with sensationalised media surrounding a trial. Otherwise, this would have likely ended the same way as former Iraq leader Saddam Hussain’s trial — with a conviction and order for execution. It would have only prolonged the inevitable and possibly made things worse by delaying it. Aside from that, I do not see an issue with Gaddafi’s demise — he took control of Libya from one end of the barrel of a gun, so it seems fitting that the immediate changeover to Libya’s future should occur the same way. Regarding Osama Bin Laden, what makes people so sure that he was actually executed and not captured alive? Yes, he would be a remarkable treasure trove of information if kept alive, so why not just keep him alive and tell the world that he is completely gone — shot in the head and buried at sea? It makes sense to me.

From A Reader
Washington DC, US
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Speeding kills

This is a very alarming revelation (“Speeding cases top list of traffic offences”, Gulf News, October 24). I am shocked to see that even under such strict laws, motorists still resort to violations and offences. I fail to understand what makes people speed on the roads. We need to have a sense of responsibility and cannot take others’ lives for granted. I would prefer to reach my destination a few minutes late rather than to never reach at all. It is high time that motorists realise that speeding kills. This issue requires a lot more effort by the officials concerned and above all requires a change in the driving habits of people on the roads.

From Ms Fatima Suhail
UAE
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Pharmacists are experts

The over the counter (OTC) products are not called drugs (“Patients urged to be careful with over-the-counter drugs”, Gulf News, October 24). What is the definition of a drug? It is a product that contains some specified chemical active ingredients, preservatives, colouring agents and has some side effects. But OTC products like lozenges, mouth wash, skin care products, and hundreds of other products could be used without medical prescriptions. A pharmacist is an expert in the field of medicine. He knows the uses and side effects, as well as the dosage and time of serving medicines. As a pharmacist, I completely disagree with the expert’s statement that people should consult their doctor when taking OTC products. After all, what is the role of a pharmacist in a pharmacy?

From Mr M.A. Choudary
Dubai
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According to plan

Pharmacists should be bound by the law to counsel patients when purchasing medication as they do in Canada. There is so much that could go wrong if things do not go according to plan, hence the need for this report, as so much could be prevented if it became mandatory.

From Mr Khalid
Dubai
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A fine balance

I was surprised to read that despite inflation, corruption scandals and falling stock, there are still people in the world with a net worth in billions (“Mukesh Ambani named richest Indian”, Gulf News, October 27). As the world hits a population of 7 billion this month, poverty has also reached levels like never before. While images of excess food, opulence and waste are seen from some parts of the world, others only show children with malnutrition and bleak futures. The gap between the rich and poor seems to be widening at a much more rapid pace than earlier. When are we going to see middle ground?

From Mr Azeem Ali
Abu Dhabi