OTHER PEOPLE’S MAIL

Compiled by Dale Sprusansky

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVE. NW WASHINGTON, DC 20500 COMMENT LINE: (202) 456-1111 WWW.WHITEHOUSE.GOV/CONTACT SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 2201 C ST. NW WASHINGTON, DC 20520 PHONE: (202) 647-6575 VISIT WWW.STATE.GOV TO E-MAIL

ANY MEMBER: U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, DC 20515 (202) 225-3121 ANY SENATOR: U.S. SENATE WASHINGTON, DC 20510 (202) 224-3121

BIDEN LETS MBS OFF THE HOOK

To the Portland Press Herald, Nov. 23, 2022

President Joe Biden backtracked on his promise to do something about the grisly 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Big oil and U.S. weapon sales win again. Biden has decided to derail a U.S. lawsuit over Khashoggi’s killing with a bogus argument that Saudi Arabia’s leader now has immunity. Biden had a chance to stand up for human rights, for freedom of the press, and he blew it.

I worried when he fist-bumped Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman. MBS, as he is known, has bombed famine-stricken Yemen, and is known for cracking down on feminism, journalism, human rights–anything democratic. He represents the worst of autocratic, corrupt rule, and yet there was our president hypocritically meeting with him, as though he were just another head of state. That same hypocrisy shows in Biden’s cozying up to Israel, ignoring that country’s horrific oppression of Palestine.

I wish our president had the integrity of Maine’s Ed Muskie (who served as President Jimmy Carter’s Secretary of State), a truly great leader, but he does not. Let’s find a younger, more honest and courageous candidate to run for president two years hence.

Steve Cartwright, Tenants Harbor, ME CONGRESS MUST TAKE ACTION ON YEMEN

To the Times Union, Dec. 4, 2022

Reid Smith and John Byrnes’ commentary stresses Congress’ duty to end the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (“Congress must reassert its authority over America’s wars,” Nov. 21). That 2002 act, commonly referred to as the “Iraq AUMF,” authorized America’s military action to destroy Iraq’s (non-existent) nuclear weapons.

If not ended, this AUMF could still empower a president to start additional “limited force wars,” wars that use only “necessary and appropriate” power. Recall that earlier AUMFs authorized war with Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan. Lest the 2002 AUMF be used again, for war against Iran or any country, Congress must, as Smith and Byrnes argue, decertify the 2002 AUMF.

But Congress must also act to stop America’s participation in the horrific endless war in Yemen. The 2001 War Authorization, passed to respond to 9/11, was used by President Barack Obama as authorization to fight al-Qaeda in Yemen, and eventually led to supplying military aid for the Saudi-led war against the country. America then sent munitions for attack helicopters and armed vehicles, used since 2014 to destroy Yemen and its people, as well as ships and training for the naval blockade that denies Yemen desperately needed humanitarian aid.

To end that authorization, both houses of Congress must pass, and President Joe Biden must sign into law, the H.J. Res. 87 Yemen War Powers Resolution. This bill requires ending all continuing U.S. support of the Saudi-led war: weapons sales, aircraft maintenance, spare parts and logistical support.

When, in 2019, both houses of Congress did this, lawmakers failed to overcome former President Donald Trump’s veto. Hopefully, Biden will support this legislation and end, finally, U.S. participation in a violent, endless war.

We must ask Congress to support both actions and move us away from war.

Sister Francine Dempsey, Latham, NY U.S. SANCTIONS ON AFGHANISTAN

To The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 28, 2022

The Associated Press story on the expected suffering this winter in Afghanistan was unsettling. In the article, the director of operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross said that sanctions have led to massive consequences, but the tone of the piece was as if nothing could be done to ease the suffering. The story should have pointed out that a great deal can be done, and the U.S. is in a position to do it. U.S. sanctions are the driving force behind Afghanistan’s economic meltdown. The U.S. has frozen more than $7 billion of the country’s assets, amounting to roughly 40 percent of Afghanistan’s hard currency reserves. U.S.-led international restrictions on the country’s banking sector are driving mass starvation in Afghanistan. The U.S. must unfreeze the billions of dollars that belong to Afghanistan and stop other forms of sanctions against this sovereign nation.

Andrew Mills, Lower Gwynedd, PA DEADLY NUMBERS REVEAL BIAS

To the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Dec. 12, 2022

Consider some deadly serious data according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: From Jan. 1, 2008 to Nov. 21, 2022, Palestinian fatalities included 4,130 men, 620 women, 1,119 boys and 271 girls. Israeli fatalities included 229 men, 32 women, 15 boys and six girls.

Those who try to defend the Israeli government and military against critics often loudly complain about anti-Semitism. They usually ignore the Palestinians. Are they guilty of anti-Palestinianism?

Don’t they recognize that Palestinians