I was shocked at your Aug. 7 editorial accusing North Hempstead Democrat officials of “playing politics with national security.”
You have previously defended even extremist letters to the editor as part of your mission to provide a public ideas forum. Are ideas from office holders an exception?
Instead of muzzling them shouldn’t you welcome them as presumably more informed than the average correspondent?
If the officeholders were “playing politics” they would support their president. Their independence on this matter of conscience should be more accurately classified as a profile in courage because it risks damaging or aborting their political careers, and forfeiting campaign funds from the likes of MoveOn.
You and President Obama warned that many leading critics of the agreement supported the invasion of Iraq.
But prominent advocates of the agreement also supported the invasion of Iraq, including Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Joe Biden and Harry Reid.
The president went two steps farther by comparing his political opponents to the Iranian crowds led by Khamenei who shout “Death to America.”
But those are Obama allies who are gleeful at the opportunities afforded by the agreement that Khamenei orchestrated.
Even at this late date parts of the agreement remain secret. Based even on what has been made public, however, the terms justify the comment by liberal Harvard law Professor Alan Dershowitz who supported Obama for election both times but now says that he would not even hire the president to negotiate a one-month lease.
We are rightly proud of the patriotic North Hempstead Democrats, as we are of Sen. Charles Schumer, for speaking out against a dangerously flawed agreement.
Such principled opposition, if it takes hold, is the only way to prevent war.
Len Mansky
Roslyn
