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Trump’s attack makes
entire Mideast less safe
Re: “U.S. bombs Iran nuke sites” (Page A1, June 22).
Donald Trump’s illegal and unprovoked bombing of Iran will further destabilize an already fragile Middle East. Despite Trump’s public statement, bombing Iran is a declaration of war against Iran. How Iran will respond now or later has yet to be seen. One thing accomplished is that Iran has learned that building its own nuclear arsenal is now imperative to protect its sovereignty.
Going to war with Iran and perhaps drawing in regional nations does not bode well for the United States, Israel or the rest of the world.
What is needed immediately are: an end to U.S. arms to Israel, which are also being used to attack Iran; an end to bombing Iran; and critically, good faith diplomacy, not grandstanding.
Eleanor Levine
Oakland
Pension mess is
lesson in corruption
Re: “Bay Area city’s cautionary pension lesson” (Page A6, June 17).
The editorial about Oakland’s underfunded retirement benefits paints a very grim future for Oakland’s finances. But the article left out the very large elephant in the room.
The City Council that gives out these generous benefits gets most of their campaign money to run for office from the very people that they are giving the benefits to. This is a huge conflict of interest. The unions and their members do not care about the future finances of the city. It’s a simple truth. I’ll help you get elected and you give me unaffordable benefits. It’s corruption at its best.
I grew up in Oakland and feel bad when I read about the dismal failure of its current leadership. And yet they keep getting elected. There really is no hope.
John Briggs
Lafayette
Walnut Creek mayor
leads on immigration
I fully support Walnut Creek Mayor Cindy Darling’s statement regarding federal immigration efforts.
She wrote eloquently to support constitutional rights and peaceful protest. Her promotion of the “Know Your Rights” program at the Contra Costa Library yesterday was great advocacy.
I am very proud to be a Walnut Creek resident and of the mayor. She is to be commended for her leadership.
Emily Blanck
Walnut Creek
Trump’s narrow victory
isn’t a license to rule
Donald Trump claims he has a “mandate” to govern. He won a plurality of the votes cast (49.8%), not a majority. In my book, a mandate requires a significant win, not a squeaker.
Also, he campaigned very differently than he is seeking to govern. Six months in, prices are not down and the war in Ukraine continues. His tariffs cratered the stock market, and he now admits they may cause “a little bit of pain.” While he promised not to touch Medicare, the CBO estimates his Big Beautiful Bill will result in about $500 billion in cuts to Medicare from 2026 to 2034. Many of those who voted for him are now questioning his actions.
Trump seems to think his election allows him to rule rather than govern. This country does not have a king. I hope the courts continue to check his actions until 2026, when the electorate can weigh in.
Darcy Johnson
Brentwood
Immigration laws
exist to protect nation
Our immigration laws exist for a reason.
Any country that cannot secure its borders cannot protect its citizens, and the enforcement of those laws is not “hatred.” It is simply what each and every sovereign nation must do to defend and protect itself against hostile incursion.
As White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has said, “The right of ‘due process’ is to protect citizens from their government, not to protect foreign trespassers from removal.”
Jon Rego
Clayton
Birth of modern Israel
set stage for conflict
Re: “Israeli government endangers Jews everywhere” (Page A9, June 15).
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In regards to the article by Thomas Friedman calling for a two-state solution in the Middle East, I would agree but need to point out the basis for the argument and the subsequent wars is the very real question as to who ultimately has a greater right to the land: the Israelis who claim the land because their wandering ancestors occupied some land, drove out the inhabitants and established a nation for a few hundred years before being conquered and broken up and dispersed, or the most recent occupants of the same land who have been there for 2,000 years, until the “descendants” returned and are attempting to reclaim the same land.
It bears remembering that the descendants did not ultimately come in peace and achieved their goals under international intervention, which ignored the rights of the resident Palestinians whose land was divided without their consent.
Roger Wood
Fremont