Letters to the Editor
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
‘Iran Declares War’
Though I don’t believe Iran is going to declare war on the West, we still have a serious problem. I see no effective way to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Iran’s nuclear sites are too scattered and hardened to take out through air power [“Iran Declares War,” Editorial, May 11, 2006].
A ground war is politically untenable. Russia and China have their own reasons to continue to check a diplomatic approach.
The European incentive plan is a joke. Why should the Iranians give up the tremendous leverage they would gain against their Arab neighbors and Israel for a few diplomatic trinkets? Not to mention that having a continuing nuclear program only gains President Ahmadinejad more popularity in his own country, where standing up to the Great Satan is always good politics.
Also, regime change strikes me as purely wishful thinking. The Bush administration seems to be pinning its hopes on an uprising of young reformists, though there is no evidence of that happening. The time for an uprising would have been after the imams disqualified most of the reform candidates in the last elections.
Instead, they boycotted that election (allowing Mr. Ahmadinejad to win) and have remained politically apathetic ever since. They seem much more interested in iPods than revolution.
DAVID BARTON
Westport, Conn.
‘Bay Ridge Hum’
I couldn’t help but read Matthew Lysiak’s article on the Bay Ridge hum mystery. While it is well done, and quite compelling. I am asking myself why is this a big deal? [“Something May Be Fishy About Hum Keeping Bay Ridge Residents Awake,” Page 1, June 1, 2006]
Sure, from April to October, people have some sleepless nights, and, sure, there is nothing really anyone can do to stop it. But what about the real issues this great community has? Lack of housing, higher rents, vacant stores, a dwindling middle class, and no real public gym.
I sympathize with the many who have heard this problem, however, before we have the Department of Environmental Protection spend money on studies to figure out how to stop this, why don’t we spend millions on sprucing up a neighborhood that once was the symbol of “Old New York”?
THOMAS BRICE
Staten Island
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