Obama puts pressure on Israel

Obama puts pressure on Israel

Obama’s speech last week about new peace in the Middle East and how Israel should go back to the 1967 pre-war borders is like asking the fox to watch the hen house.

He wants a new Palestinian state and that Israel should be chopped up so to make room for people who want to whip Israel off the face of the map.

Israel is the one that is always being attacked by Arab nations and they were able to drive their armies back in one of the wars in 1967 and expand their borders for further protection. Israel has in recent years given up some land to the Palestinians and nothing has further happened in the peace process. Israel always has suicide bombers in its borders and these people think that they will go to heaven and be met by 72 virgins.

Many forget that Israel has a large Arab populations in its border and these people are citizens as much as the Jews of Israel are. They are well treated. Obama thinks that Israel should give up more land and maybe just maybe the Palestinians and the Arab countries might recognize Israel. What a joke.

Plus Obama announced a bold new plan to give billions to the Middle East to help them in economic development. Don’t we already give them billions in oil revenues? Why can’t countries like Saudi Arabia give their billions in oil revenues to help the poorer Arab nations?

America is broke already. Drive around the Youngstown Warren areas and see the urban blight and the pot holes on the streets. This reflects many areas across the country.

Gary Gergel Youngstown

GOP will pounce on Israel issue

If you thought you heard a noise resembling a herd of stampeding elephants last week you were nearly correct. What you probably heard was a stampede of Republican White House wannabes headed to the nearest haberdashery to get their yarmulkes.

President Obama had the audacity to question the Israeli intentions/policies concerning Middle East peace or their relations involving neighboring states. Now, any GOP presidential hopeful is positioning him/herself to be a friend of any Jew in sight. They think they have a perfect opening to corral the Jewish vote.

You can bet your next paycheck that in the near future at least some of these GOP candidates will show up somewhere wearing a yarmulke surrounded by Jewish “friends.” I’m not sure what the female candidates will do. I suppose a photo-op, looking worried with a bunch of Jewish mothers might work. If the Jewish community isn’t careful, bar mitzvahs may have to be scheduled in secret to prevent attendance of Republicans from outnumbering relatives.

This is just the beginning of the silly season of presidential politics which has 18 months to go. Don’t you just love it?

Tom Sedlock, Mineral Ridge

Victims on the college gridiron

Let’s see if I have this right: The football players have to work their butts off, they can’t make a few bucks to pay for their living expenses, but the schools make millions from their athletic ability. Isn’t something wrong with this picture?

As far as Jim Tressel, he would not have resigned if it hadn’t have been for the news media. One day he was our hero, the next day he was a villain?

Andy Pappagallo Sr., Mineral Ridge