It locks us into future global wars. US President Eisenhower condemned this reckless “guns before butter” and warned America about becoming tied a policy that puts profit before welfare.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, is a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” he said.

“It is spending the sweat of its labourers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."

The US presidents who have followed Eisenhower have ignored his message.

Reg Wilding, Wollongong

It is about time that the Federal Government seriously consider reinstating its role to provide support and employment services to the unemployed receiving Centrelink benefits.  

The private sector organisations funded by the government to provide these services have failed, not only in preparing the unemployed for work, but also in being able to place them into paid employment.

The services of these employment agencies appear limited to preparing  clients' resume, providing basic job seeking skills and facilities to search and apply for vacant positions.  

In addition they take on a policing role to ensure clients are actively seeking employment.

In most cases the agencies use a template to prepare resumes, which are of very poor quality.  

To get any skills based training is like drawing teeth. Their practice is to point the client to a phone or computer to look for and apply for vacant positions.

Clients are as a rule required to report to these agencies each fortnight.  If you don't report the agency then informs Centrelink whose officers cut the individual concern from benefits.  

The unemployed and their families are angry and frustrated at the poor level of services and the amount of taxpayers' money paid to these organisations with no tangible results.   

Ken Bone, Conjola Park

Didn't coach McGregor say after the Kurt Mann experiment ended in tears and a series of lop-sided losses that Josh Dugan would not be shifted from fullback?

Well, what motivated him to complete a spectacular 180-degree backflip on his own edict by selecting Dugan to play in the centres in a major loss and turn up against the out of form Warriors?

D J Preece, Balgownie

In reply to our Mayor’s letter “Council here to Protect” (Illawarra Mercury, April 22, 2016) .

It seems to me that Marianne Saliba’s noble words about protecting the coastal foreshore is simply more hot air than substance. So Marianne your comments stated the following “People cannot be moved on from a public place unless they pose a risk to health and safety of others”.

So my question is: “Is it safe for the children and others to walk through the bush at the back of the beach and is it also OK to defecate in the bushes and this not a health issue?”

And what about the general rubbish and the mass of bicycles that I believe have been stolen piled up within the jungle at the back of the beach.  When will council start spending the $1.4million they talk about in their environmental budget forecasts?

Max Clay, Shellharbour