Governor should comment on UH

In the recent public discourse concerning the nature and effectiveness of the University of Hawaii system’s operational and financial management, one important and relevant voice missing in action has been that of Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

Although having autonomous status, the UH system remains part of the executive branch of state government, and the UH system’s president is part of the governor’s Cabinet.

What is Abercrombie’s position regarding the nature and effectiveness of the UH system’s operational and financial management?

Edmund Leong
Nuuanu

Obama spiked football too early

As more information surfaces, it appears that al-Qaida has observed the 11th anniversary of 9/11 by killing the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three others.

Stevens was a uniquely experienced and talented diplomat who held great promise for helping Americans and Libyans alike.

Many previous 9/11 anniversary attacks have been thwarted as a result of human intelligence, a commodity that is now harder to come by.Enhanced interrogation techniques are banned, and the Obama administration prefers blowing up terrorists with missiles launched from drones to capturing and interrogating them.

Although many al-Qaida operatives have been killed, which is a good thing, ultimately the goal is to prevent attacks on Americans.

The Obama administration has been criticized for overly celebrating the killing of Osama bin Laden.The main hazard of "spiking the football" lies in doing so before the game is over.

Rhoads Stevens
Hawaii Kai

Columnist was easy on Obama

Trudy Rubin’s commentary was stunning in its timing ("Grading foreign policy," Star-Advertiser, Insight, Sept. 12).

It was published on the day after bloody, coordinated attacks on U.S.diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya that took the life of the American ambassador to Libya and three other Americans. While a YouTube video was blamed, the attacks occurred on the anniversary of 9/11.

That was no coincidence and reflects the grave misunderstanding this administration has about the Arab Spring and Islamic extremism.

Rubin gives the Libyan operation an "A."The death of Ambassador Christopher Stevens raises questions about the wisdom of that decision.

Rubin also gave the General Motors bailout an "A" as a key to a successful foreign policy.What an easy grader.

President Barack Obama gave GM billions of taxpayer dollars to get it through a manipulated bankruptcy process.

GM emerges with the same labor issues that got it into financial distress in the first place.

Mark Felman
Kapolei

Moiliili cemetery a bridge to past

On behalf of the Moiliili Japanese Cemetery Beautification Project, we would like to express our heartfelt appreciation for the article, "Under Construction," written by Sarah Zoellick and photographed by Jamm Aquino (Star-Advertiser, Sept. 10).

Many people have read the article and have already sent in generous checks and offered ways to help. We are much closer to achieving our objectives.

We are building not just a new cemetery gateway. We are bridging Hawaii’s past with the present and into the future.

We believe that the Awesome Foundation’s grant-giving intention to build community is being realized by the coming together of donors, volunteers, and participants like you.

Thank you! Mahalo! Arigato-gozaimasu!

Laura Ruby and Harriet Natsuyama
Moiliili