US in danger

Hasam Ismaik lays bare, for the US, a harsh look at the reality that they are facing (“Look east, America, but first, look in the mirror,” April 17).

China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are actively engaged in slaying the giant. As he so directly points out, “America is a hot mess.” And that encapsulates it all.

This well-thought-out, and provoking article should be mandatory reading for every single American – starting with President Joe Biden, his whole administration and all the self-appointed talking heads who mouth platitudes and empty ideas and positions.

The once-great nation which was a true beacon of democracy is fast becoming the Roman Empire of the modern era. I refer to the Roman Empire not in its ascendancy but rather during its decline and fall from grace.

The US would be well served by taking to heart the thesis presented by Ismaik, and to mark his words carefully. Unfortunately, the current administration is so bereft of minds capable of multitasking that I fear for their ability to recognize the dangers facing them, be proactive in dealing with the varied scenarios, and meet the dire challenges racing toward them.

As Ismaik points out, the clearly visible threats facing the US will not sit on the sideline until a change of administration; rather they will seek to take advantage of the lack of will displayed by the current administration and will seek to bring today's Roman Empire to its knees.

MANFRED LEVENTHAL Jerusalem

Hasan Ismaik included oft-repeated erroneous assertions in his criticism of US actions.

As a US diplomat, I was intimately involved in enforcing the UN sanctions regime against Iraq. I also served with the Coalition Provisional Authority and US Embassy in Iraq in 2004.

Unquestionably, Saddam attempted to obtain materials that could have been used to advance his weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program. Had sanctions been lifted without proper verification and enforcement, there is no doubt that Saddam would have fully reconstituted the program. His repeated failure to cooperate with UN inspectors showed that effective verification was impossible.

In 2003, David Kay, head of the UN's Iraq Survey Group, reported the discovery of “dozens of WMD-related program activities” hidden from the UN. He later testified that Iraq was attempting to produce deadly ricin “right up to the end.”

While Kay observed that Saddam had not yet produced large-scale stockpiles of WMD, the US military unit charged with searching for WMDs found clear evidence of chemical weapons testing. Unfortunately, additional discoveries of weapons programs following the war were not made public.

While the outcome of the war is disappointing, I remain proud of America's efforts to bring safety and democracy to the Iraqi people suffering under Saddam's inhumane rule. As secretary of state Colin Powell told us during his visit to Baghdad: "You are here to help the Iraqi people because that's what it means to be an American."

The tough sanctions regime imposed on Iraq demonstrates the futility of sanctions when there is a disconnect between the people's suffering and their leaders' political interests or lack of compassion. Nobody should believe that the weaker and more porous sanctions imposed on Russia will cause Vladimir Putin to reverse his barbaric invasion of Ukraine.

EFRAIM COHEN Zichron Ya'acov