LETTERS

Just a coincidence?

Gen. David Petraeus, then director of the CIA, was involved in the initial draft of the Benghazi talking points. The original CIA draft spelled out that the attack was linked to the Islamic extremist group Ansar al-Sharia.

Those working the talking points continued the editing (12 times) until, basically, all the facts were edited out.The product did not contain any of the following: “Islamic extremist,” “terrorist,” “jihadists,” al-Qaida or Ansar al-Sharia. Petraeus was reportedly surprised when he read the freshly rewritten talking points, and expressed frustration.

We have been told by everyone from the president to National Intelligence Director James Clapper and senior senators of both parties that the data collected from millions of Americans would never be accessed without authorization by a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court judge. This authorization would be requested only if there was evidence of contact with a known or suspected terrorist.

Could it be that Gen. Petraeus’ not endorsing the lie of the talking points also qualified for FISA court action? If not, do you suppose it was just a coincidence that within two months of the general’s refusal to openly endorse the talking points, his extramarital affair with his biographer came to light, forcing his resignation?

To quote Hillary Clinton from earlier dealings with the general: To believe this would require a willing suspension of disbelief.

PHIL PHILLIPS

Fayetteville

Keep America honest

What is the big deal about voter ID?

Most people that vote have a driver’s license, students have a photo ID for school, handicapped folks have photo IDs, homeless people should have a vets ID if they are veterans.

How can a homeless person vote if they don’t have an address, or can they just go to the polls any place and cast votes?

The voter ID is a good thing as we have so many people that are not registered voters and should be. Let’s keep America honest.

CHESTAMAE STURCH

Gurdon

It’s far from the truth

Jim Blok’s recent letter was breathtaking in its venomous portrayal of Christianity.

He spoke of Christianity as an “ancient religion” as though it was man made, apparently not understanding that it’s the opposite. God made man for fellowship with him, but man rebelled against him instead.

The human sacrifice he spoke of was the sacrifice of God himself, who I believe came to live among men to show us his love and to become the sacrifice that paid for our sins so we could be reconciled to a holy God.

Blok portrays Christians as “pretending to cannibalize the bloody, torn flesh.” How untrue I believe this statement is, as well as the whole letter.

Jesus told man that he is the bread of life. He nourishes and sustains us. Later he told his disciples to remember his payment for our sins by what Christians call holy communion, eating a piece of bread and drinking a small cup of wine or grape juice to remember what he did for us in paying for our sins.

As to the Bible’s promise that Jesus Christ will suddenly return to earth to take believers to heaven, this is both a promise and a prior notification.

I believe Mr. Blok’s final description of Christianity couldn’t be further from the truth. I think the word that accurately describes it is love-God’s love for Mr. Blok and for all of us.

The Bible gives us truth; it’s up to us to respond.

LOIS WISE

Wynne

Ignored the warnings

Explosions in African embassies. No danger to us. An explosion in a New York City car garage. No warning for us. A memo from an FBI agent about Arab men wanting to learn to fly planes but not interested in landing them. It was ignored, and the great giant slept on. Yet now, officials stress how important endless streams of data are to our security, and Dick Cheney makes an absurd comment about how 9/11 could have been prevented if the NSA surveillance programs had been in existence then.

I believe 9/11 could not have been prevented, because, in the minds of virtually every American at the time, it could not have happened in the first place. It was as big a surprise as Pearl Harbor, and we ignored all of the warnings. Ah, but give us a huge agency, a sprawl in Utah with employment for outside consultants, and we will pick up something of value.

Edward Snowden said he could wiretap the president if he knew his email. I would think the NSA’s interest would be limited to regions where terrorists are suspected to reside. That surely does not include the president, does it?

Secrecy and lack of understanding can lead to collecting useless information and doing nothing of value with it. The NSA gave an example of a case where its work yielded results, the Denver cabdriver.

A report that bypassed NSA but was ignored: The father of the underwear bomber reported that his son had become radicalized. Maybe the father should have called it in 10 times, from two locations; that would surely have done it. Long live phone surveillance!

GARY SCHMEDEMANN

Russellville

The only voices heard

During the July 2004 NAACP convention the chairman, Julian Bond, condemned the Bush administration policies on education, the economy, and the war in Iraq. Later that year the NAACP received a letter from the IRS stating that it would be audited to verify its tax-exempt status.

The newly appointed Tax Exempt and Government Entities deputy commissioner at this time was Sarah Hall Ingram, the same individual that the GOP is now condemning for targeting conservative groups and receiving bonuses totaling $103,000.

Apparently it was OK with the GOP that Hall targeted liberal groups and received bonuses totaling $92,000 from 2001-2003, with the 2003 bonus of $46,900 awarded after being singled out by President George W. Bush for distinguished service.

Other liberal groups were targeted because of disagreement with Bush’s policies, but there was no GOP outrage, no cry of scandal, and very little coverage in the so-called liberal media.

Little has been reported about the Tea Party representing only a third of the targeted groups or that the only tax-exempt status denied was to a liberal group, Emerge America.

In today’s America, the only voices heard are the loudest, and those voices belong to the conservatives.

KENNETH R. WEBER

Bella Vista