Letters to the Editor
Is Israel's possession of the Golan Heights defensible?
Regarding Louis René Beres and Zalman Shoval's May 21 Opinion piece, "Don't give up the Golan Heights": With today's technology, arguing that Israel must physically possess the Golan is like justifying China's occupation of Tibet for strategic positioning of defensive units.
The issue is simple: The right wing in Israel and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) have only one view of "peace": Never give an inch, never actually negotiate, and never apologize when you can maintain "victim" status.
Doug Troutman
Lakeview, Ore.
In response to the recent Opinion piece on the Golan Heights: This piece reflects the view of Zionist extremists; it is morally bankrupt. It is written and designed in such a way as to coerce the United States into digging itself into a still-deeper hole within Middle East politics than the one it already occupies.
John R. Archibald
Singapore
Regarding the recent Opinion piece on the Golan Heights: Having visited Israel in 1999, we had the opportunity to go up on the Golan and see into Syria. There were a number of burned-out military vehicles still scattered in the Syrian landscape. It was very apparent just how strategically significant this elevated piece of land is to the protection of Israel's northern border.
Control of fresh water and the protection of part of the nation's farming makes the Golan a nonnegotiable item.
Ronald Schaupp
Hamilton, N.Y.
America needs an immigration solution
In response to the May 23 article, "Border schools draw a line": In the debate over immigration, American leaders should not look at each individual foreign national, but the long-term environmental, fiscal, social, political, and economic consequences of immigration-driven population growth:
Do we have the supply of energy or fiscal resources to absorb potentially billions of people who wish to live here?
Should we continue to borrow from foreign countries now and into the future to finance our current needs?
Who is our priority – Americans or the citizens of other countries?
The United States itself has many problems that are exacerbated by exploding US population growth.
We need an immigration moratorium so that we will have a chance to address problems in this country.
Yeh Ling-Ling
Executive director, Diversity Alliance for a Sustainable America
Oakland, Calif.
Regarding the May 23 article on illegal immigration: Please do not think that I have no compassion for those who come to America to escape poverty and oppression, but what about Americans who work, pay taxes, and vote?
What about the elderly who cannot make ends meet, and those who have, but cannot afford, health insurance?
I would ask our government why our elders and our children are second-class citizens when in need, while those here illegally are given medical treatment (and thus bankrupting our hospitals and clinics).
Illegal immigration is an issue that should be attributed to the oppressive Mexican government.
The United States should pressure Mexico to reform, certainly more than just irresponsibly sending it taxpayer money to fight the situation.
Where is our government on this issue?
Fredrica Van Sant
Prescott, Ariz.
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