Occupation of Palestinians’ land will never succeed Re: “Palestinians will submit U.N. application,” Sept. 20
This AP story states: “The new [Palestinian] state would be in lands captured by Israel during the 1967 Mideast war.” But the hapless Palestinians did not battle Israel. Other Arab nations did. They were victims during this struggle and have paid a dear price ever since during the perennial peace process.
Now, at the behest of Israel, the U.S. will again veto their U.N. application — leading many to suggest that the U.S. should adopt Israel as its 51st state. With over $7 billon in carte blanche civilian and military aid to Israel, it has become the proverbial tail wagging the U.S. dog.
After many decades, occupation of Palestine is an Israeli fait accompli. But such occupation has never succeeded. Every Fourth of July, we celebrate our own freedom from occupation. India, South Africa and other formerly occupied lands do as well.
Edward Abramic
Washington
Walter Reed is surrounded by gridlock
Since the Walter Reed Army Medical Center relocated to Bethesda, there’s traffic gridlock on Rockville Pike, Jones Bridge Road and other surrounding roads and streets.
It is my understanding that the federal government and the state of Maryland both provided millions of dollars in funding so that Montgomery County could improve the infrastructure around the new medical center. But so far, nothing visible is being accomplished.
It would behoove County Executive Ike Leggett and members of the Montgomery County Council to assume their shared responsibility to resolve this undesirable situation.
Al Eisner
Silver Spring
Obama’s jobs proposal is just more federal spending
According to former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, you should never let a serious crisis go to waste. While crises often provide political cover for Beltway parlor tricks, the Obama administration has quickly learned to not let any opportunity, no matter how small, go to waste.
For example, the night after his handling of the economy was trashed during the GOP presidential debate, Obama revealed his new jobs initiative to “put Americans back to work,” which rests on the holy grail of a boost in infrastructure spending. Gee, where have we heard this before?
Translated, the teleprompter-in-chief was telling Americans: “We are going to throw more money at the economy and hope it works. Please believe in Keynesianism one more time.” But unlike his failed effort to bring the unemployment rate down, Obama is succeeding in his attempt to co-opt both sides of the political aisle, seducing Wall Street with new ways to feed on taxpayers while unionized construction workers get to join the party.
James E. Miller
Middletown, Pa.
