We sure could use our billionaires now

Editor: I think it is exciting that those billionaires are able to fulfill their childhood dreams and Americans are trying their best to be the first to create civilian space travel.

But please couldn't they also spend their money right now furnishing planes and pilots to fly to Afghanistan to help the United States get those people out of the country that are now in jeopardy of losing their lives.

Yes, there is a possibility of a lot of red tape trying to get the government’s permission. But I'm sure they have the know how and well known friends that could speed up the process.

Right now those people who were translators for the military and their families, embassy people and their families and others who tried to get rid of the Taliban and were helping our military men and women who were sent there to help that country definitely need our help now to get to a sanctuary country to escape.

Please is there someone out there to propose this idea to people who could afford to help? Let's finish what we started by finishing the job right. Where can we go to get a plan like this expedited, or is this idea even a possibility? SHIRLEY BOHNET

Lodi

Alternatives to bringing about stability

Editor: I’m not sure if hypersonic missiles or Iran’s drones have a chance of first-strike capability. If so, or if some countries will think so, and/or don’t fear a second strike, then we need to take preventative steps. The same applies to nuclear weapons (with or without these,) and perhaps likewise even poison gas.

If there is a chance of conquest by China, Iran, or North Korea — or a chance of destruction by any of those countries or by Russia, we need a freeze on new missiles and/or weapons of those sorts; there should be immediate inspection of any suspicious sites in order to verify this. (If they don’t fear a second strike, or would furnish to terrorists, we need to have them dismantle what they already have — again with immediate inspection.)

Perhaps the way to do this is by offering and/or establishing increased trade while threatening increased sanctions, with the spread wide enough so that they won’t want to chance our missing any of the sites.

For Russia, we might also try diplomacy like a NATO invitation. Alternatively, increased economic ties might forestall destruction. For North Korea, perhaps we might also give them a choice between de-nuclearizing the Korean peninsula or putting enough arms in South Korea and nearby to destroy them.

Perhaps we can bring about human rights, such as freedom of religion; and perhaps we can get China to stop supporting North Korea if nothing else works with the latter.

ALVIN BLAKE

Lodi