LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

 1-15-10

The Last Thing Afghans Need Is More War
To the Editor:
I received a letter from Congressman Michael Arcuri today, saying we must “finish the job” in Afghanistan and “drive back the Taliban and Al Qaeda” – also that “the security of our country depends on our success in denying Al Qaeda the opportunity to plot future attacks on the U.S. and our allies.”
Not all of us believe that military force will accomplish this. I, for one, believe it will only bring still more misery to the Afghan people and increase the rancor of many people throughout the Middle East who see us for what we are: invaders of their countries.
We are part of those foreign forces that have created more Taliban and violent extremists, not fewer.
I believe that if we want to bring more peace to the Middle East we must seize the opportunity now, not to extend our military presence there, but to work with the Karzai Administration, Afghan tribal leaders, the Taliban, Afghan women leaders, as well as neighboring Iran, Pakistan, and India to  support a comprehensive peace process.
From what I have read, all too little of international aid and development money spent over the last eight years has trickled down to Afghans. Instead, as stated in Peace Action, “foreign contractors, subcontractors, and importers have profited from Afghan misery.”
Considering the billions of dollars spent fighting in Afghanistan, little of foreign money has been spent for improving the human welfare of Afghan people. And they need all they can get: according to statistics, more than a quarter of Afghan children die before age 5; life expectancy for women is about 43 years; for men less than 43 years; 87 percent of Afghans have no access to clean water; infant mortality is the third highest in the world; literacy rate for men is 35 percent and 10-20 percent for women; 70 percent of the population is undernourished.
With such massive problems, what Afghan people need is not more foreign soldiers attempting to conquer the Taliban, but Afghan-led NGOs to alleviate unemployment, illiteracy and poverty so that the people need not turn to terrorist tactics to defend their native land from the foreign devils.
It is time, not to turn our backs on what is happening in Afghanistan, but to make our government representatives aware that what we need at this juncture is not to feed the juggernaut of war, which will lead us only into more wars, but start the slow, uncertain and painful process of building the groundwork for a lasting peace in Afghanistan and in the rest of the Middle East.
HILDA WILCOX
Cooperstown


We, The People, Can Restore U.S.
To the Editor:
I would like to suggest one way to start to rebuild our country and to rebuild our sense of ourselves and our collective future:  I propose that a tax-free national savings account be created by the U.S. government.
This account would be open to and tax free only to individual private citizens and legal residents of the U.S. If the savings plan was expanded, the interest would be taxable to any other individual or business participants.
This savings account plan would provide money for the government to borrow solely for the purpose of paying down the principle (only) of the national debt.
The management of the plan would not involve the banks or any private money handlers in any way.
This account would pay the same interest rate to U.S. citizens and legal residents as it is now paying to China and other countries to borrow money.
This plan would also be open to school children from the first grade who would grow up with a national sense of saving as the right thing to do for themselves, their fellow citizens and their country. Their savings and the tax free accumulated interest could be used for their future educational expenses.
I believe that this plan would save the country money, raise awareness of the national debt, increase the net worth of American citizens and legal residents, bring attention to the damage that is done by excessive national and personal debt, create a way for all citizens to help their country, and create feelings of personal and collective accomplishment and national pride at whatever level a person is able to save.
JAMES R. DEAN
Cooperstown
Thanks For The Christmas Cheer!
Editor’s Note:  Wayne and Laura Jane Alexander received this note regarding the Christmas display they installed in the window at 165 Main St., Cooperstown.  If you hurry, you may still be able to see it.

Wayne and Laura Jane:
Just a quick note to let you know how much I enjoyed stopping to enjoy the model village set up in the window on upper Main Street . You did an awesome job in seeing to every detail.  The end result brought sheer joy and delight to all passersby.
The other day, when I was on the mail run for the office, the walks were covered with a blanket of new fallen snow. I could see the various footsteps, large and small, leading up to the village display. As I passed the window, a father spotted the train set adorning the village and beckoned his youngsters and wife to join him in taking it all in.
In these stress-filled times, the time, talent and effort you put into your Christmas display will never be known except in the hearts, should and minds of those who for a brief moment saw the world as it should be – in peace and beauty. A magical moment.
Happy New Year!
Mary