Recent headlines announcing more U.S. troops to Iraq made me feel like the character in Bill Murray’s movie, “Groundhog Day,” and with good reason.
A cursory check shows that on June 30, 2014, the U.S. sent 300 troops, followed by 1,500 troops on Nov. 7, 2014, 450 troops on June 10, 2015, and 560 troops more recently.
We all know that “more troops” equals more violence, death and destruction. The United States unleashed its campaign of violence in Iraq in 1990. Since then, the Iraqi people have been subjected to nonstop, U.S.-led bombings, drone strikes, roadside bombings, assassinations and retaliation murders for nearly every one of the 9,490 days of of of the 9,490 days
In just the past two years alone, the U.S. has unleashed over 9,400 airstrikes. News photos from cities such as Mosul, Baghdad, Makhmour and Ramadi reveal a near total destruction of any and all buildings.
The first rule of violence is very simple — “violence only escalates.” This is the clear reason why more violence in the Middle East will not solve anything and it underscores why we need to undertake a policy to stop it.
When conflicts arise on the world stage, any dummy can unleash the U.S. military, but it will not stop the violence. The current political campaign reveals that both candidates are incapable of achieving peace.
The people of our country stopped a viciously violent war in Vietnam in the 1970s and the time has come to do it again, lest we suffer another 26 years of Iraqi bloodshed on our hands.
We all should phone, call or write our politicians and commit them to ending this U.S. violence.
Lawrence Tucker
South Hadley
Dilemma for
GOP this election
I feel sorry for millions of Republicans this presidential election. They know they don’t want Donald Trump to be the next president because he would be a dangerous choice and yet they cannot vote for Hillary Clinton because she is a Democrat!
I guess it boils down to whether they are Republican-Americans or American-republicans! On second thought, there is a third choice. They could choose not to vote. I know that’s un-American but it might be a good choice under these circumstances.
Bob Fenton
Southampton
Fútbol! The Aug. 12 front page story on farm workers in Whately is excellent. I appreciate writer Amanda Drane, photographer Sarah Crosby, and the Gazette editor for giving readers this insightful glimpse into the lives of the workers at Nourse Farm.
Deborah J. Campbell
Northampton
Amherst should give
three taxpayers a ‘buyout’
In response to your Aug. 13 editorial, “Amherst needs answers on Geryk buyout,” I urge both school committees to rescind their votes to award Geryk $309,238 so she can be “personally happy and professionally fulfilled” and instead vote for this modest proposal.
At random three Amherst taxpayers are selected. And paid $100,000 each so they can be “personally happy,” and help pay for their ever-rising property tax bills. Repeat. The majority of taxpayers would find this process much more democratic.
James Brissette
Amherst
FBI should gear up
for Trump’s demise
I fear that when Donald Trump loses the election the United States may be in for a serious outburst of Radical Domestic Trumpist Terriorism (RDTT) and I am hoping that the FBI is well prepared for this possibility.
Trump’s trademark throughout his campaign has been to inflame and incite supporters with hate, fear, violence and aggression. Some of these inflamed and hate-filled supporters possess assault weapons.
It is likely that as Trump’s defeat becomes more obvious to all, his desperate and extreme rhetoric will be increasingly saturated with evil statements. As his Herculean ego approaches inevitable defeat, it is difficult for any normal person to imagine the ways he would be willing to create horror and chaos.
When Trump goes down, his perverse inclinations would delight in taking down America with him (there is a long time between now and November). The constant drum roll and build-up of hate and violence in America by RDTT will crave outlets and expressions and the FBI needs to watch for any appearance of Trump’s version of “Sturmabteilung” (the Nazi Brownshirts).
We have heard Trump say he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue; we have heard “there will be a bloodbath.” We have heard Trump’s versions of the Nazi’s “Stab-in-the-Back” theory; Obama is the founder of ISIS; New Hampshire state senator and Trump-supporter Alfred Baldasaro says Hillary Clinton should face a firing squad.
Pumping up America with RDTT rhetoric will have painful consequences and the majority of Americans who are the true believers in democracy need to pay attention. Many of us know that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty and all peace-, justice- and freedom-loving Americans who believe in democracy need to be vigilant and stand up to protect our country right now.
alan kanner
Amherst
Corrections
NORTHAMPTON — The annual Ice Cream Social hosted by Historic Northampton, the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association and the Meadow City Conservation Coalition will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday. The day was incorrect in Wednesday’s Gazette.
NORTHAMPTON — The director of the Downtown Northampton Association is Amy Cahillane. She was misidentified in an editorial in Wednesday’s Gazette.