Reactions to killings in the Middle East, and America’s support of Israel
I am appalled by the killing that is going on in Lebanon and Israel. I am even more appalled by the news that President Bush has “approved” continuing the fighting for a week. This president who vetoes stem-cell research in the name of avoiding killing “humans” is willing to start a preemptive war, causing the killing of thousands of humans, and now condones the killing of more humans and the destruction of Lebanon. This is not the United States of America that I believe in and treasure. This is my country, and this horror is not done in my name.
Betty Jacobus, Arvada
…
We can truly feel compassion and sympathy for the truly innocent civilians (and especially children), but are those civilians we hear interviewed on TV really innocent? If they allow Hezbollah to take over their neighborhoods and store weapons and rockets to be used to indiscriminately kill civilians in Israel, are we to term them as innocent? The idea that a war can be waged discriminately has come into being since our total defeat of Sadaam Hussein’s army with a minimum loss of civilian lives. But this is not characteristic of most wars, and our constant questioning of Israel’s restraint in responding to attack has emboldened the terrorists to place their civilians in harm’s way as a means of exploiting the media’s practice of emphasizing the gory details.
If Cuba were to start lobbing missiles into Florida killing civilians, would we respond with utmost restraint?
Frank C. Petrine, Denver
We Americans are paying an egregiously high price to bring democracy to Iraq. Why then are we also sending $4 billion every year to Israel, when it seems bent on bringing down the fragile democratic government of Lebanon, or best hope for true democracy in the Middle East?
It is a moral outrage that Israel has threatened the Lebanese, who flee their towns, while at the same time bombing their bridges and highways so that they have no means to escape.
If our craven representatives had any decency, they would at least deduct from the aid we send Israel the cost of rescuing the tens of thousands of American citizens stranded in Lebanon by Israel’s savage attacks.
Paul West, Fort Collins
…
The news recently is full of joyful reunions, interviews with families who were evacuated, and talk of more transport for the thousands of Americans still in Lebanon. What about the Lebanese civilians who are left behind? By evacuating foreign nationals, Israel is left to try to besiege Hezbollah and will not have to worry about American blood on its hands.
A full-scale evacuation is not what is needed. No government or international organization will be able to remove all the innocent bystanders. And even if they did, what would become of these evacuees if there is no country left to return to? Who will rebuild Lebanon after all the infrastructure that was just beginning to blossom is destroyed?
The current Middle East crisis is not a natural disaster invoked by Mother Nature. It is tragic means to an end and it is time Uncle Sam spoke up and demanded a ceasefire.
Leila Hahn Mills, Denver
…
Letter-writer Steve Laudeman (July 20 Open Forum) conveniently dismisses that Arab states in Middle East openly call for the destruction Israel. He “forgets” to mention that suicide bombers attack and kill Israeli civilians. When Israel attempts to withdraw from occupied territory, Hamas and Hezbollah seemingly view that act of peace as a sign of weakness and attack Israel, a sovereign state.
Israel does have a right to defend itself against an enemy that is cowardly, well-financed and espouses hate and anti-Semitism. Unfortunately, nuclear weapons are used as a deterrent in this day and age by many countries, including Pakistan and India.
I for one trust nuclear weapons in the hands of the Israelis far more than I trust weapons in the hands of the Iranians or the Syrians.
Steve Anderson, Arvada
TO REACH US
Phone: 303-820-1331
Fax: 303-820-1502
E-mail: openforum@denverpost.com (please send straight text, no attachments)
Mail: The Open Forum, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, 80202
