Paul Feeney is correct (Letters, January 1 ), when he says follow the money for an explanation of the destruction wreaked on the Middle East since 2003.

Up to 250,000 people have been killed in the Syrian civil war so far, and more than 11m Syrians have become refugees or displaced within Syria. That’s the equivalent of twice the population of Cork City killed and twice the population of all of Ireland homeless.

Over the past few weeks Shannon Airport has featured in the news a number of times.

With reference to Edward Horgan (Letters, Mar 13) in relation to the presence of possibly eight members of the Defence Forces being stationed in Afghanistan, it should be pointed it that it is no coincidence that the number is in single figures.