Trump scared Putin
Ukraine what-if
Regarding “Editorial: If Trump were still president, where would Ukraine be today?,” (Sept. 15): Your editorial gives kudos to the Biden administration for its support of Ukraine and woefully wonders what the situation might have been had Donald Trump been president.
During the Obama tenure in office, Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean peninsula with little opposition from the United States.
During Trump's term in office, Russia made smaller moves on Ukraine. Could that have been because Putin was concerned that Trump might unleash U.S. forces or other punitive measures?
That scenario has as much credibility as your supposition that, were Trump the current president, “Ukraine would already have buckled.” Foreign despots were fearful of Trump and hesitated to do anything to provoke his ire.
Scott Davis, Houston
Your editorial board is so wrong on their premise that Trump would lie down against Putin's threat.
The real facts would have been that Putin likely never would have invaded Ukraine because Trump made it perfectly clear that the U.S. and NATO would never allow it.
Putin only invaded Crimea when Barack Obama was president and the rest of Ukraine with Joe Biden acting very weak. In fact, China and North Korea seemed to behave while Trump was president.
Quit the propaganda. You are not fooling anyone.
Mickey Marvins, Houston
If Trump were president, the war in Ukraine would probably not have happened. Warmongers attack on weakness, not on strength. Putin saw weakness and attacked.
David Kroon, Houston
Pregnancy care
Regarding “Texas' abortion laws led to 3-day delay for Houston woman's pregnancy loss treatment, doctor says,” (Sept. 7): The woman featured in last Sunday's headline article, who lost her pregnancy, suffered a tragic loss. I feel for her deeply.
For you to sensationalize her loss to promote what seems to be a particular political view is despicable.
In reality, she waited a total of five days from time of diagnosis until her procedure. This included a weekend.
Many people have waited that long or longer to receive needed medical care. My husband waited more than two months to begin cancer treatment.
Perhaps the Texas abortion law needs to be more clearly written to define medical exceptions.
Definitely, doctors and hospital staff need to be trained in the application of the law for specific medical exemptions.
But, that does not make the law bad, nor should the Chronicle use a tragic case like this to promote a certain political view.
Jeanne Held, Cypress
John Seago (legislative director for Texas Right to Life) and others like him would have everyone believe that Texas law does not prevent appropriate pregnancy care.
This tragic case illustrates why that is not true and is an example (charitably) of the law of unintended consequences. This was state-sanctioned malpractice.
Timothy Brown, League City
Thank you for this feature story on the front page of the Chronicle. That's exactly where it belongs. It inspired me to suggest the following: Why don't you dedicate a space on the Chronicle's front page to such horror stories until the voters of Texas “get it.” Continue regularly until they denounce and recall all Texas politicians who promote the vicious abortion laws they have concocted. I would think there would be sufficient horror stories to make this a daily Chronicle feature (or every other day; certainly at least weekly).
I'm no expert, but it seems to me that our best strategy out of this insanity is one of constant, compassionate confrontation. And I can think of no better leader in this strategy than theHouston Chronicle.
Please keep up the good work.
Ben Ball, Sugar Land