In his letter, ''In Defence of Muslims'', Mahamas Kromas continually mixes up nationalism with religion. Christianity was indeed a brutal religion but this was during the Middle Ages, when the church was burning, torturing and murdering ''heretics''. By the same token, Saladin, who led the Islamic armies into the Holy Land, did no better. Mr Kromas, read your history book.
COLA RIDGEBACK
Islam's political agenda
Re: ''In defence of Muslims'', (PostBag, Dec 5) .
I strongly refute Mahamas Kromas' statement: ''Mr Wilcox tried to portray the Muslims as violent people.'' That is totally out of order. I would wish it to be made clear that I have travelled, eaten and spoken with Muslims in a perfectly friendly manner. Unfortunately, we speak of Muslims when we perhaps mean Islam.
Muslims believe in Allah and that the Prophet Mohammed was his messenger. They accept that unquestioningly and that is their prerogative: to follow what they consider is their religion.
Muslims are people with families: Islam is a political ideology centrally organised by the Muslim Brotherhood based in Egypt. Their credo is, ''Allah is our goal; the Prophet is our guide; the Koran is our constitution; Jihad is our way; and death for the glory of Allah is our greatest ambition''. The Muslim Brotherhood boss in the United States, Mohammed Akram Adlouni, wrote a secret document called ''The Role of the Muslim Brother in North America''.
It states: ''The Ikhwan must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilisation from within, and sabotaging its miserable house by the hands of the believers, so that it is eliminated and Allah's religion is made victorious over all other religions.''
The Muslims I have met are not only unaware of such writings but would not agree with them if they were; although Mr Kromas openly declares that Islam will become dominant in Thailand due to the high birth rate amongst Muslims.
The declared objective of Islam is clearly world domination, to be achieved either by jihad or procreation or a combination of both. This confirms its political nature, whilst many Muslims genuinely think they are following a religion.
So why do they not condemn the violence perpetrated in their name? That is the unanswered question.
J C WILCOX
Coups cause chaos
Re: ''Beware politicians' weapons of mass deception'', by Songkran Grachangnetara, (BP, Dec 4).
As long as Thai politicians want to gain power by hook or by crook the days of coups and appointed governments will not end. Thailand has a long history of powerful groups and vested interests built by a top-down corrupt patronage system to resist social changes sought by ordinary people.
It is no accident that not many Thai politicians are held in high esteem. It is quite evident from the Pitak Siam rally last month that opposition leaders had no regard for the presence of US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. While Mr Obama praised the duly elected Pheu Thai government the opposition leaders shamelessly called for toppling the elected government. One of the tenets of democracy is the rule of law, but no political party in Thailand respects the law. For the opposition, the most common ''weapon of mass distraction''_ is Thaksin. Politicians from opposition parties use him as an antidote for their election defeat.
As Mr Songkran points out the Democrat leadership should concentrate on winning elections through a more appealing manifesto and better social and economic policies. Looking for shortcuts and coups to gain power may work for some politicians, but it tarnishes the image of the country, and spirals the nation into chaos.
DR KULDEEP NAGI
ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY, BANGKOK
CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING
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