Afghanistan’s still a quagmire
Terre Haute, Ind.: As a veteran of the United States armed forces, I am disgusted with American military strategy relative to Afghanistan. Sixteen years of American blood and treasure have been spent, yet this incoherent policy continues to fester without end. Even Mikhail Gorbachev finally came to his senses and withdrew the Soviet Union’s troops from Afghanistan after nine years of fierce fighting and tremendous losses.
It remains unconscionable to think the United States can defeat such indigenous forces and remold the region’s society when history shows this cannot be done, going back to Alexander the Great, the Moguls, and the British and Soviet invasions.
The U.S. has been in Afghanistan for 16 years, but most Americans have either forgotten or could care less why our military remains there in what can only be characterized as a quagmire. Earl Beal
100 days of broken promises
Floral Park, L.I.: President Trump boasted in his campaign speeches that he will do a lot of things. It is now past 100 days into his administration. Did he ever do any one of the things he promised he would do? He said he would repeal and replace Obamacare. Not done. Build a wall along the Mexican border at their expense. Not done. Ban visitors from seven Muslim countries. Not done. Trump always mentions “buy American, hire American,” yet his daughter Ivanka has her fashion line made in China. What a hypocrite. The White House has become a place of so much confusion and chaos. Signing so many executive orders is not the only job a President has. Mathai Easow
What’s the big secret?
Bronx: What is in Presidents Trump’s tax returns that he wants to keep secret? Why are the visitor logs at the White House or Mar-aLago so secret? And most of all, why does Congress protect him the way they do? I don’t know about anyone else, but it makes me very suspicious. What is he hiding? Anna Maria McCorry
Hey, United! Pay me less!
Manalapan, N.J.: United Airlines says they have to overbook flights so they don’t lose money, but they can afford $10,000 to pay someone to get bumped. Send me $2,000 and I won’t even come to the airport. I just saved you $8,000! Joe Fontanelli
NYC is indeed soft on crime
Glendale: New York is soft on crime, and anyone who doesn’t believe this is obviously a bleeding-heart liberal/progressive. However, I must say that the NYPD is the last group in the criminal justice system that is to blame. My hat goes off to the men and women in blue who seem to be the only ones supporting law-abiding citizens. After a suspect is arrested, the softies take over. On a daily basis we read about someone who has been arrested 20, 30, 40 or whatever previous times. Most logical people would ask, what is he (or she) doing on the streets? Well, you should ask the district attorneys, judges, and our liberal/progressive elected officials why they are not following up and supporting the NYPD after they’ve done their job. I am constantly outraged when I read about repeat offenders, and I am waiting for my fellow citizens to wake up!
Thomas C. Murawski
Don’t blame the bean counters
Norwalk, Conn.: To Daily News writer Bob Raismann, regarding his April 26 article “ESPN now ruled by the bean counters as struggling world wide leader deals with massive subscriber loss”: I worked in accounting and finance (budgeting) for over 35 years before being let go from my last position. I can tell you it is almost never the accountants or finance people, aka the “bean counters,” who make these layoff decisions. The executives get the numbers from the finance team, and they make the decisions to fire people. Put the blame where it belongs.
Chris Fazio
Can’t we get along?
Whitestone: Regarding the Daily News’ April 17 article about a Sikh cabbie who picked up a group of passengers (“Sikh taxi driver assaulted, turban stolen by drunken passenger in the Bronx”): An argument ensued, and one of the passengers punched the driver and ripped his turban off his head. It is way past time to respect other individuals who are different than us and have no desire to harm us in any way.
Leonore Brooks
Bo’s off-color remark
Bronx: When will Republicans learn that this is the 21st century (“Bo Dietl claims he had no chance at running as Democrat because judge looked like Mayor de Blasio’s wife,” April 26)? When will they stop wearing those starched white sheets under their designer suits? It is so appalling that this man, like Donald Trump, believes that people of color who serve as judges cannot make decisions based on the facts of the case. The attitude of people like Dietl is not just racist, it’s despicable! Wonder how he treated minority suspects when he was a cop. Pauline Graham Binder
No, it’s Bo’s bad
Brooklyn: Bo, you don’t know diddly! Alana Wilson
Rap on Watters is ridiculous
Columbia, S.C.: The criticism of Fox News’ Jessie Watters for his comments on the way Ivanka Trump held a microphone is probably the stupidest thing I have heard yet. No one who watched Watters would have inferred anything lewd from his comments. The criticism says more about the mind of the person who is making it than it does about Watters. Bill Mishoe
Trump’s salary con job
Bronx: Voicer Linda Ranallo should get her facts straight. Trump lied when he said he would not accept his salary. He is accepting his salary and plans to donate it to charity at the end of the year to get a tax reduction. In other words, the U.S. Treasury will not only pay him but also lose out on taxes on his salary. In addition, Trump has cost the government more money on his three months of vacations playing golf at Mar-aLago than President Obama cost the government over his entire eight years of vacations.
Juanita M. Johnson
Trump destined for greatness
Medford, L.I.: Bravo and kudos to President Trump for proposing the “biggest tax cut in history” that is designed to keep more money in consumers’ pockets and cut tax rates for corporations, thus making America more competitive in the global marketplace. It’s clear that Trump believes in “the paradoxical truth” proclaimed by President Kennedy — and enthusiastically adhered to by President Reagan — that “the soundest way to raise revenue in the long run is to cut (tax) rates now.” With total and complete energy independence in the pipeline, a $1 trillion infrastructure bill in the works, the building of the wall, repealing and replacing the job-killing Obamacare, and now this massive tax-cut plan, Trump is determined — against great political opposition — to make the American economy greater and more potent than it’s ever been. Although one would ever know it from media accounts, he has all the pieces in place to become this nation’s greatest President.
Eugene R. Dunn
Mets in bad shape
Manhattan: When will the Mets finally see the obvious? The team’s conditioning staff is horrible! (“Yoenis Cespedes, Noah Syndergaard add to Mets injury concerns as team drops to last place,” April 28). Fire trainer Ray Ramirez ! Professional athletes should not be getting so many hamstring injuries. Have they heard of proper stretching? Yoga? Cut back on the damned weights, for goodness’ sake, and have a beer after the game instead. Injuries have been a chronic problem for the Mets for years. Every Opening Day, the fans boo Ramirez when he is introduced. Why do we as fans know it, yet ownership does not? It’s been one train wreck after another.
Michael DiCerto
Forget about this pay plan
Brooklyn: I am dismayed that Mayor de Blasio endorses making tourists pay to enter the Metropolitan Museum of Art (“Metropolitan Museum of Art mulls charging non-New Yorkers entrance fee,” April 27). Many people past and present have given much to the museum, knowing that its doors were open to all free of charge. How can the city and the museum break faith with these donors? Art just becomes a symbol of wealth when we are charged to see it. Gouging tourists will become the first step toward charging residents the next time the Met needs to replenish its squandered funds.
Frederick Wasser
C’mon, he’s 92!
AP Lisbon, Portugal: Re the Daily News’ editorial of April 26, “Expel the Queens Nazi”: Seriously? Drop a 92-year-old into Guantanamo? Lourenço Lemos