Letters to the Editor

+ Quit the war drums
Dear Editor:
The title of your Feb. 23 opinion piece — “Who will bomb Iran?” — could be rephrased as: “Who will start the next war in the Middle East?”

The answer should be “nobody.” Not Israel and not the United States.

The last war in Iraq has been an unmitigated disaster for the United States. Meanwhile, Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,  has warned Congress that Iran has the power to initiate terrorist attacks against the United States if we bomb Iran. And David Stockman, a former director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Reagan, said on the Fox business news channel on Feb. 23 that the current spike in oil prices could be eliminated overnight if President Obama would tell the world that we will not bomb Iran and we will not allow Israel to bomb Iran.

Given the fact that the price of oil affects everything from the price of gas at the pump to manufacturing unemployment and every other aspect of our economy, it would surely be in this country’s best interests to stop beating war drums in the Longboat Observer. And as for your comment about President Obama, he does not lack the will to bomb Iran; he is just too smart to do so.
Allan Gehring
Plant City

We’re not beating war drums; we just reported what a Middle East expert said. Better to be forewarned. — Ed.  

+ Plantings on GMD are not consistent
Dear Editor:
This letter is in regard to the plantings on the east side of Gulf of Mexico Drive. Driving south on GMD the plantings are beautiful from the light at Avenue of the Flowers, while driving north from the same location there is nothing — my question is why?
G. O’Connell
Longboat Key