Fighting wrong war
Here we go again! It's back to Iraq to fight another civil war that the Iraqi army can't or won't fight.
The Islamic State is evil, but I think it should be up to Middle East nations to get rid of it.
As of this writing, no nation other than the United States has agreed to bomb Islamic State or send in advisers, not even rich Saudi Arabia or our staunch ally, Britain.
Most nations seem to be saying, "let you and him fight but don't involve us in regard to money or manpower."
Some members of Congress think we should have kept thousands of troops in Iraq, even though we were, in effect, kicked out by the Iraq government after it failed to sign a status-of-forces agreement.
Many Republicans and Democrats in Congress agreed that unless the Iraq government allowed U. S. troops accused of crimes to not be tried in Iraqi courts we should get out.
What is it about Islamic State that reportedly has attracted up to 200 Americans, 500 British and many other followers all over the world? For each follower we kill, two more show up to take his or her place.
As at least two of our generals have said, military might alone is not the answer to Islamic State. We must attempt to kill an evil ideology, and that isn't easy.
VERNON McDANIEL
Ozark
Abuse is continuing
Video shows that professional football player Ray Rice assaulted his fiancée, Janay Palmer. He knocked Janay unconscious with a vicious punch in a hotel elevator, dragged her into the hall, dropped her on the floor, kicked her and made no effort to help or request medical assistance for her. It seems Ray has hidden behind the protection of greedy NFL executives, his avaricious team owner and a prosecutor seemingly blinded by football celebrity who failed to pursue justice for Janay.
That's terrible enough. What's worse is that it appears Ray Rice is continuing to abuse Janay, now his wife, on local, state and national media--I believe he's a manipulative coward who's hidden behind his wife, having her apologize on TV as if she was responsible for his violent outburst. Then Ray had Janay text a message accusing the media and public of abusing her husband.
I believe what Ray is doing, and so far seems to be getting away with, is to mix up and confuse his crime and appropriate punishments with Janay's situation. Then, he uses public sympathy for, or anger with, Janay to try and deflect criticism from himself and to cast himself as the victim. It's disgusting!
There is only one victim here; that's Janay Rice.
I believe Ray Rice is an arrogant, self-absorbed, violent abuser who had exposed his serious character flaws by following up his horrific, physical abuse of Janay with repugnant exploitation and psychological abuse that only deepens her wounds and makes her recovery less likely.
JIM BLOK
Benton
A misguided comic
I'm a longtime subscriber and fan of your paper. The comics have always been a source of entertainment, enlightenment and amusement. The strip by John Deering and John Newcombe, Zack Hill, has often been dull in the dog antics; however, it is now very offensive to me.
Bullying is a problem in all schools. It is not limited to public schools, as our parochial school has felt the difficulty in addressing the situation on various levels. It is not funny! I believe the lighthearted approach that is being shown in the comic strip is so inappropriate that I feel it should be discontinued in its entirety.
I do recall the offensive nature of a past strip that caused it to be axed. It seems to me that the Zack Hill is even more misguided and inappropriate.
CHARLES J. THESSING
West Memphis
Unaware or uncaring
I was heartened to see the photo and editorial criticizing President Barack Obama’s military salute.
My husband and I had seen the original photo and had been appalled at the lack of military courtesy he showed. The letter from D. William Jansen, who I believe clearly has never been in the military nor has been connected with it, which discussed the “tacky, pathetic and (sadly) par for the sorry course this once-great paper continues to take” is, I think, (sadly) par for the sorry course that many people who are totally ignorant of the military or have anti-military sentiments take.
And (sadly, again) Mr. Jansen was not the only one to submit such an uninformed letter.
If one has any experience at all with the military, he or she knows that when a person gives a sloppy, slouching salute, it is extremely disrespectful to the person being saluted, and by extension, to the military in general. And it says volumes about the person giving the salute. I am sure many veterans cringe when they see the president exiting his helicopter and attempting to salute the young Marine standing at attention at the foot of the steps.
Mr. Obama is the commander in chief of the United States military, and as such should be setting an example for military personnel.
I wonder why, if he respects the military, he has not requested a short tutorial in military etiquette. Is he that unaware of the image he presents? Or does he just not care?
BEV FREILEY
Conway
On racial differences
Many thanks to Mr. Austin Porter Sr. for his insightful analysis of some of our racial problems. I don’t know where he was raised to get so wise. I think his assessment of the problem was spot on. I could never have said it so well.
I am an 84-year-old white male, and I realize there are black and white idiots. One is the Rev. Al Sharpton. It seems both black and white look for any excuse to stir up racial unrest.
From the ages of 4 to 15, I lived in the 1100 block of Ringo Street in Little Rock. There was an alley behind the house, and whites lived on one side and blacks on the other. The kids played together all the time.
The only thought of racial differences was when I got to school and realized there were no black kids there.
VANCE KIRKPATRICK
Cabot
The price of speech
Is it really free speech if we buy and sell it?
CARL E. BUCHANAN
Benton
Editorial on 09/19/2014