To the editor: LZ Granderson’s idea that war almost never brings peace does not stand the test of history. (“How will the Mideast bloodshed end? Not with a bullet,” Opinion, Oct. 18)
The defeat of Nazi Germany brought peace to Europe. The defeat of Imperial Japan brought peace to the Pacific. There has not been a world war since 1945.
Israel’s victories in the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War ultimately brought peace between Israel and both Egypt and Jordan. U.S. victories over Al Qaeda and Islamic State brought peace to those areas of the Middle East oppressed by these terrorist groups.
An Israeli victory over Hamas and Hezbollah will bring peace to Lebanon, Israel and the Gaza Strip. Defeating terrorists and showing their sympathizers that starting wars is too expensive is a good thing, not a bad thing.
Daniel H. Trigoboff, Williamsville, N.Y.
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To the editor: Killing Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his ilk is like trying to kill the Hydra. We’ve been there before, it didn’t work then and it won’t work now.
I see no end to this global human tragedy unless people on all sides can put aside their hatred and their weapons and negotiate.
Susan Greenberg, Los Angeles
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To the editor: The next time you receive a submission or a column taking Israel to task for its allegedly indiscriminate military operations, you should politely ask the author what Israel should do instead to be free from violent attacks by its neighbors.
And if they have no answer or it’s something that has been tried before — such as withdrawing settlements or not occupying hostile territory as was the case before 1967, which did not lead Israel’s enemies to stop attacking — you should decline to print it unless the author adds a disclaimer that they believe Israel lacks the right of self defense.
When you scratch the surface of these finger-wagging arguments, what you find is that they all rest on the premise that Israel’s existence is illegitimate.
Intellectually honest writers acknowledge that they are bound by the implications of their arguments. You’re doing a disservice to your readers by failing to reveal the real underpinnings of the belief systems you publish. The result is hatred.
Branden Frankel, Arcadia
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To the editor: I disagree with Granderson about the war beginning its conclusion with the letter sent to Israel by the U.S. secretaries of Defense and State on humanitarian aid being allowed into Gaza.
Rather, it ends with the Biden-Harris administration calling for an immediate cease-fire backed by an arms embargo.
Vicki Rupasinghe, Ojai