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To the editor:
If the consequences of President Donald Trump's policies were not so serious, his statement that he might get to heaven if he brings peace to Ukraine would be laughable. As if God would forgive all his numerous evil acts.
Trump's ability to bring about peace between Russia and Ukraine is questionable. He has no control over Zelensky or Putin. He does have control over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to Israel's dependence on U.S. aid, but is making no serious attempt to stop that war.
Some argue over the definition of genocide. That's irrelevant. When the casualties are overwhelmingly civilian, when the targets are doctors, aid workers, journalists, women and children, schools and hospitals, those are war crimes. Though war itself is a crime. It is about time we produce leaders who don't think of war as nothing more than a tool of politics.
Militaries should be used for defensive purposes. But when Israelis in a kibbutz warned their government of an impending Hamas attack, no defensive actions were taken. It's as if Netanyahu, who is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state and supports expanding Israel, was looking for an excuse to launch brutal attacks and seize land.
Recently, former Israeli intelligence officers have come out in support of a ceasefire, arguing that what little is left of Hamas is no longer a threat. Rescuing hostages doesn't seem to be a priority, especially after Israeli soldiers gunned down hostages.
One ironic argument is that the Palestinians asked for this by supporting Hamas. Considering Americans' support for Trump and Israelis' support for Netanyahu, such a stance puts us in a position best described by Yoko Ono: "Walking On Thin Ice." We need to listen to John Lennon and "Stop the killing now."
Richard Warren
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Word Man
The future of world peace is a bit of a mystery, with experts having different ideas about whether it’s even possible. Some think achieving true, global peace is like a dream, but if we can keep major global conflicts to a minimum and manage regional conflicts well, that might be a more achievable goal. And let’s be real; it’s going to take a lot of hard work and effort from everyone, both at the individual and international levels, to get there. That’s why I hope that Trump, Putin, and Zelensky can come together and find a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine; this isn’t a partisan issue; it’s a humanitarian issue.
Thursday, September 4 Report this