Mideast views naive

Buell Hollister’s letter (Jan. 16) is so filled with naiveté that it is beyond belief. The ideas laid out about the U.S. killing Afghans and Pakistanis are 180 degrees wrong. To say that Israel “continues its brutal treatment of Palestinians” is again gross misinformation.

We do not live in a Utopia today nor do the Israelis. We live in a dangerous world with elusive enemies, and to predicate that the U.S. should cut the military budget by one-third is about as ludicrous as putting one-third less powder in the bullets our military uses to defeat this ominous foe.

Hollister continues that we should do “global tree planting” as one way to end terrorism. While in a perfect world without masked fanatics and radical ideologies, Hollister’s ideas sound grand.

There are demented people who would like to force Islam on the free world and kill us to achieve this odious goal. These people are depraved regardless of our government budgets.

If anything, our military budget should increase. Our government bailed out GM, Chrysler and AIG with more money than it would cost to replace our ancient KC-135s.

Jack Abel

Spokane