LETTERS: Kerry negotiates away advantage
To the editor:
Secretary of State John Kerry, apparently a recent graduate from the Neville Chamberlain School of Diplomacy, skillfully negotiated away most of our advantage in dealing with Iran on the issue of its nuclear enrichment activities.
He very benevolently agreed to relieve numerous economic sanctions for the benefit of the Iranian citizens, many of whom were probably shouting “Death to America” while the negotiations were taking place.
On top of that, incredibly, Iran negotiated the release of one of its nuclear scientists so he could contribute to the country’s progress. Despicably, Mr. Chamberlain, er, Secretary Kerry, failed to include in negotiations the release of Iranian-American Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, being held in one of Iran’s most notorious prisons since the summer of 2012.
The abandonment of Pastor Abedini is another unconscionable failure of the Obama administration. The pastor was in Iran to finalize details of an orphanage being opened. It’s been reported that his name was not even mentioned by Secretary Kerry.
When Adolf Hitler was just coming to power, he bluffed his way through Austria and Czechoslovakia without a shot being fired, while Mr. Chamberlain maintained that he had negotiated a “lasting peace” with the Nazi.
From there, Hitler was emboldened by the lack of resistance, and it was conflagration for the rest of Europe and Russia.
Secretary Kerry’s naiveté may have consequences for Israel and the Middle East on par with Mr. Chamberlain’s errors in dealing with Germany, should Iran enrich enough uranium to build one or more of its own nuclear weapons. Easing the sanctions on Iran and abandoning Pastor Abedini amount to diplomatic malpractice.
JERRY PATCHMAN
LAS VEGAS
Minimum wage myths
To the editor:
While I applaud Morgan Deane for pulling himself up by his boot straps to become a professor with extremely specialized skills, I would wonder if he ever bothered to check facts before he espoused his opinion (“Minimum wage jobs a training ground,” Monday Review-Journal letters).
According to an August report published by the Economic Policy Institute: the average age of minimum wage workers is 35; 88 percent are not teens but are 20 years or older; 36 percent are over 40; 56 percent are women; 28 percent have children; 55 percent work full time (35 hours a week); and on average, they earn half of the family’s total income.
These statistics sharply discredit his unfounded generalities about those earning the minimum wage. His opinion is more about bragging about his grand accomplishments than it is about the real issue of jobs and income disparity in this country.
JOE FREEMAN
LAS VEGAS
UMC administrator
To the editor:
After reading your Dec. 6 article about Lacy Thomas, I believe it’s time to halt the prosecution and persecution of the former UMC chief (“Former UMC administrator appeals retrial ruling on theft charges”).
The prosecutor’s office has alleged that Mr. Thomas’ crime was awarding illegal contracts to business associates from Chicago. If these contracts were illegal, then why hasn’t the district attorney’s office also charged the Chicago businessmen? If these contracts were illegal, then why, when UMC tried to void one of the contracts, did the company sue and settle for $595,000?
It’s apparent that Mr. Thomas was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was CEO when UMC declared its first big operating loss of the recession, but that wasn’t a crime. The man has been through enough. He’s lost his job, his reputation has been damaged, and I’m sure he’s spent a fortune on legal bills. It’s time for the prosecutor’s office to drop the charges against Mr. Thomas and let him get on with his life. The only courtroom I’d like to see him in is when he sues the district attorney’s office and Clark County for malicious prosecution.
RAY MURPHY
LAS VEGAS
Unemployment benefits
To the editor:
Rep. Nancy Pelosi and her gang want to extend unemployment benefits again. When did unemployment insurance change from helping support an unemployed worker to paying people for not working? The insanity continues.
JACK OLIVER
LAS VEGAS
Culinary crackdown
To the editor:
I find it interesting that the Culinary union in Las Vegas is requiring its 55,000 members to show proof of their identities, as well as their spouses and children, to crack down on health insurance fraud (“Thousands chill out to keep health insurance,” Wednesday Review-Journal). Yet the Culinary and other unions, as well as the Democratic Party, do not seem to think voters should have to produce ID in order to participate in an election.
BILL RACKEY
BOULDER CITY
