One victory lap was apparently not enough for Obama
Re: “Obama’s victory lap on bin Laden’s killing,” May 2
One year ago, America celebrated the killing of Osama bin Laden, including Obama’s gutsy green light of the mission, his sharing the glory with our intelligence people, operational support by many branches of the military, and last but not least, the success of our wonderful Navy Seals.
Now our chief executive, with re-election as his greatest and only priority, is taking more victory laps in the East Room while questioning what Mitt Romney would have done. Not allowing enough to be enough, the president then takes his show on the road to distant Afghanistan, where he again spikes the ball and jumps into the grandstands.
Having no intentions of degrading either the bin Laden mission or our heroic Seals, I looked back 36 years, when members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine hijacked a commercial airliner headed for Uganda in Tel Aviv. After profiling all 248 passengers, the non-Jewish ones were flown out of Uganda while 106 Israeli passport-holders remained in the hands of Idi “Big Daddy” Amin.
After buying time with phony negotiations, the Israeli Cabinet — led by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin — decided to rescue the hostages. One hundred commandoes flew over 2,500 miles into questionable air space, landed safely at the airport where the hostages were being held, killed all seven hijackers and many of Amin’s soldiers, and rescued 102 hostages, a feat whose valor and magnitude could not be repeated. One Israeli commando — the brother of the present prime minister of Israel — was killed.
If Obama contemplates another victory lap (and hopefully it will not be next year), he should watch “Raid on Entebbe” for some much-needed humility.
Buddy Rowe
Rockville
Obama, Democrats bear brunt of Examiner’s criticism
Re: “Democrats shy from budget so they can bash GOP,” Editorial, April 29
I am a recent reader of The Washington Examiner. But I am coming away with a distinct impression that your newspaper is not balanced in its portrayal of the news.
Your April 29th edition includes ten articles critical of President Obama, Michelle Obama, Vice President Biden and Democrats in general, including five political cartoons very critical of the president.
That same edition had two articles complimentary of Republicans and presidential candidate Mitt Romney. There were no political cartoons about Mr. Romney or any Republicans.
Is The Washington Examiner purporting to be an unbiased newspaper, or is it just a printed puppet for the Republican cause?
Tom Huppmann
Gaithersburg
Getting there is the real problem
Dear visitors to our fair city, please enjoy our excellent, but overburdened mass transit system even though it will cost you $1 extra per fare care since you didn’t know you needed to buy a $5 SmarTrip pass.
You could take a cab, of course, but taxi rates also went up, and you may have trouble understanding the zone system.
Or you could walk. Just make sure your visit coincides with the Metropolitan Police Department’s “All Hands” weekends (if the union doesn’t mind). Otherwise you might get mugged by people who don’t have any problems with law-abiding citizens’ inability to protect themselves.
But hey, the museums are free.
Larry Krauser
Gaithersburg
