Future of Iraq up to the Iraqis
As Iraq struggles to determine its future after the withdrawal of the U.S. combat forces, it will be faced with much the same dilemma that our country faced after our revolution.
History records that someone asked Benjamin Franklin at that time, "What have you given us?" and Franklin replied, "A republic, if you can keep it."
Iraq might ask the United States that same question today: "What have you given us?"
And we should reply, "Your freedom, if you can keep it."
The responsibility is theirs, not ours.
Robert L. Dixon
Makiki
Brazen thievery bodes ill for rail
I watched another video of that group of young adults shoplifting from a local store. There have been several videos so far this holiday season showing some pretty casual thieves, including the one of the woman who stole a wreath from out of an elevator.
So I have to ask the rail board and city engineers: What convinces you that you can trust everyone to pay to ride that will keep the train at least at a break-even cost?
Also, have you looked at how much it is going to cost us when you have to retrofit for the pay booths when you find out that you were wrong to rely on the honor system?
Larry Dove
Waipahu
Rail will be our traffic savior
To all those opposed to the rail transit system: You are the very people who will be gridlocked on the freeway and not be able to move.
You will get out of your automobiles, raise both hands to the heavens and you will profess: "Where is the rail?"
The rail will be a breath of fresh air in the morning, afternoon and evening compared to a very crowded freeway.
I do not want Honolulu to become a gridlocked city.
Michael Augusta
Honolulu
Don’t kill sheep to save palila
I am a ninth-grader from Moanalua High School.
I also am an animal lover and I hate to see them getting killed or tortured.
Animals have rights just like we do.
I am writing because I would like to see the end of the killing of animals.
On the slopes of Mauna Kea, there are sheep getting shot and killed on government orders.
The sheep eat the same tree as the endangered palila bird. To save this species of bird, they are trying to get rid of the sheep so the palila bird has more to eat.
I understand this, but there is another way to save the birds without hurting the sheep.
Consider having the government pay people to capture the sheep and give them to farmers or put them in another area where they will not cause damage. This way both animals will be safe.
Ciera O’Brien
Aiea
Put focus on education grant
What prompts Hawaii’s mindset to pay attention to the hiring of a football coach while being apparently indifferent to the possible loss of a $75 million federal educational grant?
We had a media blitz about the coach, but not many words about the education grant being in jeopardy until recently. The greater priority was obviously hiring a football coach.
Why were key issues like settling the teacher’s union contract not concluded in compliance with the grant? This condition was known by all parties for some time. Lame excuses will not satisfy the federal grant requirements.
There is always a lot of flowery talk about a good education for our children but, as we have observed, little has been accomplished to reform a broken system.
How about applying some of that football enthusiasm and energy to retaining an essential federal grant for our children.
Tony Locascio
Waikiki
Cut deficit, save the middle class
How will Congress pay for the extension of the payroll tax cut for 60 days?
Fees charged by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae over 10 years will account for $33 billion. This will increase the cost of mortgages and hurt home- owners, most of whom will be middle-class people.
Great going, Congress and President Barack Obama, on saving the middle class and helping it achieve the American dream. What will you offer next to pay for extending the payroll tax cut for the rest of 2012? Will you tackle the real problem — your spending and the deficit? That is how you will save the middle class. The wealthy and the poor we will always have, but will the middle class be a group of the past?
Tom Fragas
Kailua
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