Mar 28, 2008

Letters

The war in Iraq

Dear Editor: With the fifth anniversary of our occupation of Iraq and 4,000 U.S. fatalities, there is an urgent need to beat the drums for an immediate withdrawal. The war has been an unrelenting nightmare for the U.S. and Iraq. Renowned economists Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes have conservatively estimated the war costs to be in excess of $3 trillion. It has drained our economy and caused a free-fall of our currency. The politically well-connected war profiteers such as Haliburton and Blackwater have enriched themselves at the expense of working-class youth, many of whom volunteered to join the army out of economic necessity.

Our president and many of our lawmakers have embraced the medieval practice of torture and totally abandoned the teachings of Jesus Christ, whom they claim to revere. Our public discourse regarding abortion reeks of hypocrisy. Our oil-intoxicated politicians have aborted the lives of thousands of U.S. soldiers and millions of Iraqis and still cling to the grotesque notion of "victory."

Sectarian fighting, absent prior to the occupation, makes daily life a living hell. Recently, former and current U.S. soldiers bared their souls and provided testimony on war crimes they committed against innocent Iraqi civilians at the "Winter Soldier" hearings. This important news was ignored by the U.S. media but was widely reported in more than 80 countries around the world.

Jagjit Singh,

Los Altos



Israelis and Palestinians

Dear Editor: Michael Barton's letter (March 18) contains twisted logic. [If applied to Sen. Barack Obama's campaign], it would suggest that Rev. [Jeremiah] Wright, Obama's preacher for 20 years, speaks on behalf of all African-Americans when he says that it shouldn't be "God bless America, but goddamn America." I don't believe that for a minute.

The truth of the matter is that Palestinians and other Arabs have been terrorizing Israeli citizens since 1948. Israel has been in a state of emergency since its inception.

Israel left Gaza and Palestinians still terrorize Israeli families with rockets.

This is all about terrorism and Israel's survival, because anyone with sense knows that if the Palestinians stop attacking Jews, there would be peace.

The late Israeli Prime Minister Gloda Meir said it best: "We can forgive them when they kill our children; but we can never forgive them when we have to kill theirs!"

Howard Roth,

South San Francisco



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Dear Editor: I recently watched a most horrifying film clip on the Web site of the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center. This is a taping of their "Other Voices" for Palo Alto cable TV Channel 27 - "Redefining the Occupation in Palestine." It is an interview with two young people who have started a cooperative education partnership between Najah University in Nablus and a growing number of high schools in the United States.

Why is this a problem, you ask? A member of the audience asks if this program will present both sides in this conflict since this involves U.S. schools. Answer from them - NO - U.S. kids already get the Israeli perspective.

The most chilling aspect of this program is that Najah University was the site of the joyous, celebratory, re-enactment of the Sbarro restaurant massacre committed by Palestinian terrorists on Aug. 9, 2001, in Jerusalem, Israel. Fifteen people were killed, including seven children. The bomb belts contained explosives, nails, nuts and bolts.

You can view the PPJC show at http://tinyurl.com/ynks4b and see photos of Najah University's re-enactment at http://tinyurl.com/2znyya.

Sheree Roth,

Palo Alto