Echoes ignored
Re: "With Iran war, US is alone", (World, March 6). The Deputy Director of the German Marshall Fund, Kristina Kausch, is upset that US President Donald Trump has not sought the world's approval in his quest to destroy Iran's military abilities and for the removal of its genocidal dictatorship. One which screams daily: "Death to Israel" and "Death to America". (Time Off, Bangkok Post, March 8).
A century ago, a German fascist spent 20 years openly calling for the annihilation of all Jews and succeeded in murdering six million of them while the international community did more to facilitate this aim than to thwart it.
Since 1979, the Iranian regime has been shouting at the top of its lungs that it will annihilate Israel and has spent trillions on arms for this purpose. How telling that some German politicians don't even bother boycotting Iran, but they do seem to get upset when those championing the next Endlosung (Final Solution) are thwarted.
Frank Scimone
Coverage confusion
As part of my overpriced TRUE Visions subscription, I am privileged to get True TENNIS. Today, during the so far five-set battle between DJ and Draper, we were getting the umpteenth replay of an earlier WTA ladies' match. Over multiple hours of programming, not one match from the ATP men's draw has been televised, live or in replay.
Indian Wells is one of the top ATP/WTA tournaments on the schedule, attracting many of the world's major players. I'm sure this is a contractual issue, but you would think that, at the least, we could get replays of the significant matches, na?
Now I'm sure the usual naysayers will condemn me for continuing my subscription to this service, but this has little to do with programming issues. I already subscribe to many streaming services for both sports and entertainment, but I just don't see the rationale to add another 553 baht/month for a 30-day subscription to Tennis.com.
We've already witnessed the demise of most US sports, including Nascar, NCAA football and basketball, and NBA hoops. With Major League Baseball in spring training, with opening day just 14 days away, I wonder if that will also be relegated to the dustbin?
Fred Prager
Middle East shock
Re: "The Iran war is upending global energy markets", (Opinion, March 12).
On the surface, Iran may seem to have no immediate military target beyond sowing chaos in the region. In reality, its deeper aim is to choke off the flow of petrodollars to the United States. The petrodollar has powered American growth and helped cushion US economic missteps for decades. If Iran disrupts oil shipments and blocks the Strait of Hormuz, global energy markets would destabilise, the Middle East's oil industry would stall, and petrodollars flowing to the United States would dry up.
It follows that the US stock market would likely crash, inflation would rise into double digits, and the economy would tank. Even a hint of this happening would trigger a major outcry and protests in cities across the United States.
In just a few days under Iranian attack, it has been reported that Qatar has halted LNG output and related products; production at Aramco's Ras Tanura refinery has been stopped; major Israeli gas fields, including Leviathan, are offline; and most output in Iraqi Kurdistan has been shut down.
America wants a short war with a Hollywood ending. I agree on the length, but I see a more transformative ending -- the end of American military dominance and empire.
M.L. Saksiri Kridakorn
