Arguing Guardsmen on America's streets, pardons, Ukraine truce

Arguing Guardsmen on America’s streets

The senseless shooting and death of a National Guard soldier would never have occurred had President Donald Trump not ordered the troops to Washington, D.C., creating targets for a malicious shooter to attack [“Trump: One Nat’l Guard member has died,” News, Nov. 28].

— Michael Lefkowitz, East Meadow

The shootings in Washington were horrific. What is worse are some of the disgusting and disturbing un-American comments in reaction. The rage in remarks from far-left politicians says that the National Guard shouldn’t be in American cities. According to this inane logic, it’s better to have citizens robbed, beaten, hijacked, and murdered.

Imagine how the families of these young guards feel hearing such words so soon after their children were targeted and one already has died.

If this were to happen to the critics’ loved ones, I am confident their disdainful attitudes would be different.

 — Roger Rothman, Commack

As soon as National Guard troops were sent to our cities to be used against Americans, my first thought was the Kent State University shootings in 1970 and how long would it be before something like this would happen. Only this time, it was against our troops instead of one of our citizens. Either way, it ended in disaster for Americans.

Our troops should only be deployed on our soil to defend us against foreign aggression.

— Richard Areskog, East Meadow

Pardon me, but he deserves to get off?

This administration is blowing up small boats believed to be carrying drugs to the United States and is threatening to send troops to Venezuela over drugs.

And now, President Donald Trump is pledging to pardon a convicted drug dealer, Juan Orlando Hernandez, a former president of Honduras who was convicted of helping move over 400 tons of cocaine to the United States and sentenced in 2024 to 45 years in prison [“Trump to pardon ex-Honduran prez,” World, Nov. 29]. A pardon here? I’m confused.

— Mark Stysiack, Ridge

So, Donald Trump says he will pardon the former president of Honduras who was convicted of drug trafficking and accepting a $1 million bribe from a drug cartel and sentenced to serve 45 years in a federal prison here. Why the pardon? Because Trump says Juan Orlando Hernandez was treated “very unfairly,” the same feeble justification Trump has used in a series of pardons and commutations for other convicted people.

Yet, the families who fled Honduras and other Central American countries to escape the violence and drug trafficking of the cartels — families who have worked here, paid taxes here, and faithfully followed immigration laws in efforts to obtain asylum — are deported. How ironic.

To me, those are the people being treated “very unfairly.

 — Patrick Calabria, Seaford

Concessions would help a Ukraine truce

I was flabbergasted reading all the comments knocking President Donald Trump’s recommendations to end the war in Ukraine [“When concessions risk far more,” Letters, Nov. 25]. Trump felt he could drum up interest in a ceasefire if he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was lambasted for failing. Why? Because he tried?

After speaking with Putin, he floated Ukraine giving up the four territories that Russia occupies for a truce to end the further killings of tens of thousands of young people on both sides.

One reader compared Trump’s efforts with British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who negotiated with Adolf Hitler before World War II. This is not Trump’s fight. He has enough to do on the home front with the left attacking him for so much he does.

Among Trump’s critics are the European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself.

Trump should pull back and let the peace process be handled by these European doubters. They are Ukraine’s neighbors and have a lot to lose if Putin escalates this war.

Instead of being blasted for his efforts, Trump should have been given credit for trying.

 — Marty Orenstein, New Hyde Park

I don’t understand what readers expect from Donald Trump regarding Ukraine concessions. The United States has sent tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine, mostly from the prior administration.

Trump is simply pointing out that Ukraine cannot win this war. Sooner or later, Russia will wear down Ukraine’s military. Do the readers want World War III to begin? All Trump is saying is stop the killing with some concessions.

How can people blame Trump for wanting to stop the slaughter and not get us into another European war?

— Kevin Mullen, Holtsville

Kelly latest target on Trump ‘revenge tour’

The Trump administration continues its fear campaign [“Pentagon probe into Kelly video,” Nation & World, Nov.  25]. It started with questionable attacks on our universities, law firms, and businesses.

The “revenge tour” placed U.S. troops on American streets. And now, the outrageous attack on Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, an American hero with a military background who simply stated the words of the Constitution in a video that troops must not follow illegal orders.  

— Jeffrey Goldschmidt, Stony Brook