|
Wednesday, 28 February 2007 16:09 |
Reader challenges prof
on Iranís nuclear capability
Your paper gave an excellent accounting of Prof. Tom Sandersí lecture on the Middle East at UNC Asheville.
This is a subject on which almost everyone has an opinion, but an invited lecturer at UNCA ought also have some credibility. In the space provided, I would challenge the professor on one issue only.
Prof. Sanders stated that ìthere is no evidence whatsoever that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.î
Is the professor privy to information which the U.N. Security Council, and its chief nuclear weapons inspector Mohamed el Baradai, are totally unaware of?
After diplomacy with Iran over many months, which failed to produce results, the Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran.
In additon, it
imposed on Iran a deadline to cease enriching uranium to weapons grade.
On the deadline date a few days ago, Iran announced that it intends to
do the opposite, and will facilitate its uranium enrichment program.
In response, the
permanent main five members of the council, with the addition of
Germany, will be discussing this week additional sanctions on Iran.
Among the
permanent members of the council, China and Russia have extensive
commercial relations with Iran and would very much like to continue
them.
But the entire
world cannot live with a nuclear-armed Iran, even if Prof. Sanders
would like to ignore clear evidence on the ground in favor of some
strange political agenda.
DAVID ZIMERMAN
Asheville
Paper praised for writing
about Sherlock Holmes
Is the Daily Planetís publisher and editor any relation to John Ringling North?
Hallelulah !!
Since arriving in Asheville four years ago, Northís column in your
paper of Feb. 21 is the first mention of Sherlock Holmes that I have
had the pleasure of discovering in this area.
I am still ìmail
activeî with ìThe Tropical Deerstalkers,î Miami, Fla.ís scion. I still
send them hand-out studies of each particular case (excerpted from my
book) for the members at their quarterly dinner meetings.
I have written
a ìCompendiumî of all 60 stories and novels, an illlustrated ìAddendumî
and a batch of papers and speeches. I had hoped to find a similar
organization here in your (our) cultured city, but to my dismay, the
population of ìhalf-backsî seems to limit their cultural indulgences
to preferences for country fare, (and an unfortunate ìCarmenî), with
their interest in the classics focused upon literature ó plus a couple
of noble gentlemen gracing our TV screens.
I have also been
a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, and even attended their
celebratory festivities in Londonís unveiling of the Holmes bronze
statue outside the Baker Street underground station.
I am in my late
80s and in barely tolerable health, otherwise I might have indulged in
the pleasure of starting up a Sherlock Holmes scion here, myself.
In my early
teens, I read Conan Doyleís complete output, of which the Holmes
stories make up only about one-tenth, (at best), and it was this major
portion of his work that he considered to be of primary importance.
Unfortunately, Queen Victoria had expressed her preference for his long
historical novels, which is why he had Holmes disappear at the
Reichenbach Falls. And he was also anxious to return to his current
indulgence in novels involving the supernatural.
Well, one could go on and on over the many facets and niceties of the Canon. I thank you for reawakening my interest.
PAUL TRAUTVETTER
Asheville
|
