Israel must return to ceasefire negotiations

Nearly 1,000 Lebanese have died, with thousands seriously injured, as I write this. By the time you read it, the numbers will probably be substantially higher. Why so much death and destruction? Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu says he wants to bring residents of far northern Israel, who fled from Hezbollah attacks, back to their homes. That includes loved ones in my own family, who want desperately to be able to go home.

But is Netanyahu choosing the most reliable way to achieve his goal? He had another alternative: agree to a ceasefire in Gaza, which would bring the Israeli hostages home and — as Hezbollah leaders have stated over and over again — end the attacks coming from Lebanon. There is no reason to doubt Hezbollah’s word. After all, they had launched no serious attacks for years until Israel began its bombardment of Gaza.

Netanyahu chose a much riskier course: kill and maim massive numbers of Lebanese, in hopes that this would shock and awe Hezbollah leaders into capitulation. Israel has tried this course before. The result has always been, in the long run, a stronger Hezbollah. There is no reason to think the outcome of this latest Israeli attack will be any different.

The U.S. could force Netanyahu to take the more reliable path to letting my family and all the others from northern Israel go back home: a ceasefire and negotiated agreement to bring the hostages home. All we have to do is start withholding our massive transfer of weapons to Israel.

But our government will do that only under strong public pressure. It’s up to us. The White House comment line is at 202-456-1111.

— Ira Chernus, Longmont

City should leave well enough alone on Iris Ave

Re: Iris Street “problem.” I am in wholehearted agreement with a recent letter writer who submitted his Plan X to fix Iris. Cyclists rarely use Iris, they have found other streets to go east-west. All summer I have been wondering if the City is creating a problem where there isn’t any, because they are looking for problems to solve. We have bike lanes on both sides for those who want to use them. There are sidewalks on both sides of Iris. Please just repave the street, repaint the lines and leave well enough alone! City planners: How about right-sizing Broadway? Or Canyon? Sounds dumb, right? Same thing for Iris.

— Rob Steinway, Longmont

Donald Trump’s lies just keep growing and growing

If we listed things we never thought we’d hear at a presidential debate, these would surely be at the top. “They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”

The former President was offered an out by the moderator, letting him know ABC had investigated this story and found no basis for it. That the Haitians weren’t illegal. The GOP governor, mayor and city manager all said the story was baseless. Trump charged on.

Then VP candidate Vance corroborated the claim, which he had to eventually admit to CNN, was a figment of his imagination. He had to “get the media to pay attention.” So now the lie requires more lies to convince us. Instead he claimed those ABC spoke with were the ones lying. It’s always someone else.

One would think Vance would be able to get ONE of his constituents to come forward and corroborate the eating of cats and dogs. However to date the only person to do so is a woman who found her cat alive in her basement, and she actually apologized to the Haitians. Maybe she can teach Trump and Vance how that works!

— Ken Bublitz, Loveland