Letters: Lloyd Austin | Israel’s reaction | Coming up empty | Dangerous choice | Santa Cruz’s lead | Holidays’ error

Re: “ ” (Page A6, Jan. 11). I don’t think that Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin should resign. Yes he did go AWOL, but It would be hard to replace him on short notice as long as he stays well. Of course, problems in the Middle East are worse, but I am sure Austin is informed. I think that the U.S.

military has the China Sea under control. Congress needs to stop being so divided, as Stephens says in the article, to enable funds to Ukraine and other places. People forget that Americans have supplied money around the world for many decades through military and other aid. Re: “ ” (Page A6, Jan.

10). The Palestinians were unable to prevent a terrorist organization from taking over their government and using civilians as shields in attacking Israel. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and Europe, started the war and could end the bloodshed by surrendering and returning the Israeli hostages.

Hamas and its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon are Iran’s proxies for eliminating Israel in order to increase Iran’s dominance there. No nation could respond differently than Israel and still have a country. Someone needs to remind Bruce Tinsley that in his Thursday, Jan. 11, strip about a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, only one person has 91 counts against him.

That’s Trump. As hard as the GOP has tried they can find nothing that Joe Biden could be charged with. And anything Hunter Biden may have done has nothing to do with Joe. They have tried again and again to find grounds to impeach him. And as far as job performance goes, Joe Biden is proving himself one of the hardest working and most successful presidents ever.

A party with Lauren Bobert, Matt Gaetz and Jim Jordan as their main movers is pretty sad. Trump should be behind bars now, not later. Are Republicans really going to vote for Donald Trump as their leader? He has said what he will do if elected. Use the military to subdue protesters who are against him.

Restrict the free press. Free all the people who have been convicted of breaking the laws when they stormed our country’s Capitol. Dismiss all charges and convictions against himself. Make himself more powerful by selling influence: basically doing whatever he wants. He honestly believes that he is above the law as president.

Dangerous stuff. As an elected Santa Clara County Board of Education trustee, I want lasting peace in the Middle East. At our last board meeting, we heard testimony from over 150 articulate and passionate community members advocating for or against a resolution on the war. The resolution advocated for an end to the war and an immediate cease fire.

I wanted more time to be less divisive and more inclusive in our language. I strongly endorse the city of Santa Cruz resolution just agreed to on Jan. 9. The first four sentences in the adopted resolution read: • The city of Santa Cruz acknowledges the suffering of the peoples of the Middle East. • Affirms our shared humanity and wish for peace.

• Calls for collaborative efforts supporting dialogue among all parties involved. • Urges our community to develop and participate in activities that foster tolerance, empathy, education and understanding among all backgrounds and religious faiths..