To the Editor:
Re “Iran Strike Kills Two U.S. Troops” (front page, July 19) and “American Dies as Iran Drone Is Neutralized” (front page, July 20):
A wider war in the Middle East risks turning a trickle of American fatalities into a torrent. No one wants that, even Iran war hawks who considered the conflict necessary. The time for President Trump to seek a pragmatic diplomatic solution to his disagreements with the Iranian government is now.
Mr. Trump insists that Iran cannot be allowed to make further progress toward acquiring nuclear weapons, but the United States and its allies may have to learn to live with that possibility. One alternative is a nuclear-free Middle East, and the likelihood of that is remote.
The war against Iran was ill advised from the beginning and has been mismanaged. Further missteps now could result in a deadly, expensive quagmire that will put Americans and their interests around the world in harm’s way.
Having authority to exercise the commander in chief’s powers afforded by Article II of the Constitution does not guarantee wisdom or genuine leadership. Mr. Trump provides neither.
Steven S. Berizzi Norwalk, Conn.
To the Editor:
Historically, trying to control a war once it has started is like trying to control a forest fire. The reported attacks by American forces on Iranian infrastructure indicates that this war is getting further out of control.
Attacking water infrastructure looks like the first step to catastrophe for the region and perhaps the world. Destroying water supplies can lead only to huge numbers of refugees fleeing for their lives, and overwhelming any current arrangements for migrants in the region. Purging a major oil-producing region of so many of the people it needs for production seems foolish for a global economy rooted in petroleum.
Continuing blindly down this road seems like a path to unmanageable global suffering and chaos.
Simon Cohen Queens
To the Editor:
As a veteran, I found it shocking that our commander chief decided to go to the World Cup final to hobnob with the guy who gave him the FIFA Peace Prize and watch a soccer match while American soldiers were dying in a war that he started.
It shows what an unserious administration this is. A serious administration would have been holing up in the Situation Room addressing strategy and next responses. Instead, the president was getting booed and handing out trophies in East Rutherford, N.J., while his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, was busy pushing for testosterone screenings. What rank amateurs.
Aaron Kirkemo Gladstone, N.J.
Free Speech and Israeli Writers
To the Editor:
Re “Free Speech Group Backs Israel Article” (Arts, July 18):
Congratulations to the staff of PEN America for standing up for free expression for Israeli writers in the face of cultural boycotts.
I have published strong condemnations of Israeli human rights abuses in Gaza. Yet I also believe that Israelis of all shades of opinion, including those who sharply disagree with me, must be able to express those opinions without restraints.
My confidence in my own views would be shaken if I could not hear those with opposing opinions.
Aryeh Neier New York The writer is the president emeritus of the Open Society Foundations and a founder and a former executive director of Human Rights Watch.
We Should Treasure Immigrants
To the Editor:
Re “I Left America, My Home, Before I Was Kicked Out,” by Patricia Rojas (Opinion guest essay, July 11):
I am grateful to Ms. Rojas for telling her story. I find it so upsetting, because of the harm both to Ms. Rojas and to ourselves. As our population growth continues to slow, we will regret sending away hard-working, kind, talented people who want to contribute to this country — people who are the transfusions of energy so badly needed by a country with a declining birthrate.
We should be treasuring them as they deserve, helping them become citizens of the United States, which they are in their hearts, rather than let other countries have the benefit of their presence. Our national strength has been built by centuries of immigrants. Our wholesale ouster of them now is a trial for them and a tragedy for the United States.
Joyce Schmid Palo Alto, Calif.
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