Letters: 'Making nice' with Israel

BASED on the ceremony and statements surrounding Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's recent visit to Washington, it can only be concluded that the president has recognized that "making nice" is a better strategy in dealing with allies with whom we will, at times, disagree.

Reaching out in an environment of mutual respect and friendship should not be reserved for those with whom we have more serious differences or are directly threatening, like Iran, Russia or China.

Karzai is the leader of a country where the U.S. has spent nearly $1 trillion and 1,000 lives. His response to our verbal abuse had been to threaten to join the Taliban.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads one of our nation's strongest, most self-sufficient and dependable allies, a country which asks for little from us compared to most. After being berated by the vice president and the secretary of state, Netanyahu's last visit to the White House was reminiscent of JFK clandestinely entertaining Marilyn Monroe, and, to use the vernacular, with similar intent.

It's good that the Obama administration has finally decided to make nice with Netanyahu, too, and the millions of strongly pro-American Israeli citizens he was elected to lead.

John R. Cohn, Philadelphia

nolead begins

This honors the veterans who died for our country:

It is the soldier, not the reporter

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the solider, not the poet

Who has given us freedom of speech

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer / Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer

Who has given us the right to a fair trial. / It is the soldier / Who salutes the flag, / Who serves under the flag, / Whose coffin is draped in the flag.

Umberto Porta

Korean War Vets Post 38

Philadelphia