START treaty is vital to security
Your Nov. 21 editorial, “Sacrificing National Security,” was spot on about the critical importance of getting the New START treaty reducing U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons voted on and approved by the United States Senate in the current congressional lame duck session. What you did not mention is both Tennessee senators, Sen. Bob Corker and Sen. Lamar Alexander, stand at the center of this debate. Their votes could determine whether the treaty gets ratified.
Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wants ratification of the treaty “as soon as possible,” noting that, from a national security perspective, it “is absolutely critical.” He’s not alone in the current administration. General Kevin Chilton of the U.S. Strategic Command has said, “If we don’t get the treaty, they [the Russians] are not constrained in their development of force structure and … we have no insight into what they’re doing. So it’s the worst of both possible worlds.”
Sen. Corker seems to understand New START’s importance to our national security – he voted for it in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Both senators, as your editorial points out, should have all the information they need to make an informed decision on this critical treaty. Let’s hope they vote for ratification.
DR. ROSS McCLUNEY
Thanksgiving editorial biased
Re: the Times editorial on Thanksgiving. The first sentence reeks of liberal bias and anti-religious sentiment. I recommend the accompanying editorial on the right side of the paper.
Even the liberal icon Barack Obama got it right. In his Thanksgiving proclamation, he said, “we lift up our hearts in gratitude to God for our many blessings for one another, and for our nation.” “Secular holiday” indeed! Next thing we know you will be calling the Fourth of July a religious holiday.
C. BRUCE SPENCER
Call for blood appreciated
I commend the Times for the Nov. 19 editorial about the ongoing need for donated blood. The possibility that demand will exceed the supply calls for collective pondering as to how more healthy area residents can be recruited and demand be decreased.
I believe that this one editorial will do much more to inspire readers to share blood product than have all my letters to the editor combined.
HARRY GELLER