From the way Charles J. Buttigieg writes (New beginning, TMID 19 February), one would think he is a political animal. He tried to give us the impression that he is a sport. His enemies are of course the ones whom he considers as a coalition of gutter writers and journalists.

He wrote that “A friend of my friend is my friend; A friend of my enemy is my enemy; An enemy of my enemy is my friend ”. I think that this philosophy is only opportunistic.

A case in point is Jo Said, whom Mr Buttigieg was “defending”; five years ago Jo Said was “a friend of the enemy (PN)” so Jo was Mr Buttigieg’s enemy; now that Jo Said is “the enemy of Mr Buttigieg’s enemy (PN)”, Mr Said has become Mr Buttigieg’s friend.

I have a question: was Dom Mintoff Mr Buttigieg’s friend? Is he now his friend?

It made me recall the anecdote of Diogenes walking through the streets of Athens with a lit lamp looking for a real friend.

John Schembri

Zurrieq