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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 29, 2009

Air Force Tanker Deal

Your editorial "Long Delay In Tanker Deal Will Hurt Nation's Security" (March 17) correctly noted the profligate costs - a full tripling of the ultimate cost to taxpayers - of delaying the U.S. Air Force's acquisition of new aerial refueling tankers. And no one disagrees about the urgent need to buy new tankers. The current fleet is 50 years old.

Industry experts and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have all reported that Boeing's KC-767 is superior technologically and costs less than the European-subsidized Airbus version, the KC-30. It can refuel more aircraft, land at more U.S. airfields, is more survivable in combat and would save taxpayers more than $40 billion in fuel costs over its lifetime.

Last year, French-based EADS undermined the Air Force's competition for the tanker contract by launching an army of lobbyists at the Pentagon in hopes of grabbing the contract.

Now that the dust has cleared, the results are in: Boeing's tankers are cheaper, more effective and support 44,000 American manufacturing jobs.

Even Wall Street executives can do that kind of math. Can members of Congress?

CINDY HALL

Tallahassee

Coverage Of Israel

In regard to the Associated Press photo of a supposed Israeli Defense Force soldier wearing an objectionable T-shirt (Nation/World, March 24):

I am wondering; where are the articles about Hamas shooting another 100 or so rockets and mortar shells at Israeli cities since the cessation of Operation Cast Lead in late January?

I even missed reading much about the 10,000 rockets and mortars shot at Israeli cities in the past 8 years that precipitated the Israeli action against this group of terrorists now running 100 percent Palestinian Gaza, the bulk of which were fired after the Israeli's disengagement in the summer of 2005.

Hmmm, seems that Israeli "occupation" is really not the problem with Hamas after all. Who would have guessed?

Then, after the disengagement, did the Palestinians take advantage of the factories and greenhouses left behind by Israel?

No. They destroyed them.

Did they form their own little heaven on Earth to govern and prosper?

No. They didn't do that either.

Instead, they upped the barrage of rockets and mortars shot into Israeli cities - the continued barrage that the media so callously have disregarded.

Just when is the media going to begin reporting the truth and stop this insane double standard?

If the intent is to destroy the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel, I fear you may get your wish.

I wonder just how much freedom of speech will come out of the Middle East then.

C. LEFEVRE-LOWRY

Tampa

Withdraw Prayer Bill

Regarding SB 1360/ School Prayer:

This is a land of religious equality. The Constitution and government do not endorse one man's God over another.

The majority of participating students' beliefs and requests are irrelevant. There are persons of other beliefs as well as nonbelievers at public school functions. The only prudent tack at government-funded property and activities is to lean toward neutrality.

To insist on an audience for public displays of piety is to treat faith as superstition. It is also unneighborly and downright rude.

Enactment of this bill will incur unnecessary budget strain to fund inevitable legal challenges.

Please withdraw this bill immediately.

ALEXANDER LYNCH

Riverview

Saving Bugs

Please tell me you printed Don Yokum's letter "Save The Bugs" as a bit of comic relief (Letters, March 22 ). I must have read it five times trying to figure out what he was talking about.

I couldn't stop my head from spinning every time I got to the part about how he wants to "ensure we do not suffer the loss of a single aphid." He says we're extremely judgmental of bugs?

I notice he's from California. Maybe that explains it. Thanks, Tampa Tribune, for some good humor.

CAROL C. STEVENS

Wesley Chapel

Everything Will Be OK

"Spiritualists Stock Rises" (Front page, March 24) referenced people who are "scattered and all uptight, which is normal with the economy like it is" and quoted that "people are in fear" and how last year, when people visited psychics, the biggest concern was "Christmas bills; now they're facing losing everything."

I sat and pondered why people feel like this? Are they so unsettled in their faith that the only means for "help" or comfort seems to come from a psychic? I believe that people need to be reminded what is written in the Bible: "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it."

Everything you have belongs to the Lord and by His grace he allows you to use it for the short while you are here. Don't get me wrong, I have lost more than a lot over the last two years, and I am floating around in the chaotic sea just like a lot of others. However, my life vest is the outstretched arms of my Lord and Savior.

The only sentence I agree with in this article is the last sentence which states, "People need to hear they're going to be OK." And they do; however, I don't need to hear it from a psychic. I have a big, black book called the Bible that tells me that everything is going to be OK.

JUDY PRINE

New Port Richey

His Advice Is Free

How thoughtful of Sherry Ackerman to give us tips on how to "stay safe" when spending our hard-earned dollars on advice from psychics and fortune tellers.

Too bad she doesn't know about this exceptional advice from Leviticus 19:31:

"Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God."

God loves us and does not want us to be deceived. He has enough power to create the Universe and to write the Bible.

And to top it off, His advice is free!

PAULA COGGINS

Wesley Chapel

Tarot Card Gibberish

Must have been a slow news day when you decide to waste your front page with tarot card gibberish. Here's some free advice to those low self-esteem, frequent visitors to those charlatans: Get some self-respect and stop throwing your good money away.

JANNETTE SHEPPARD

Tampa

Coming Border Wars

The Department of Homeland Security is doubling the number of law enforcement working along the Southwest border and could request border state governors to send national guardsmen to help curtail spillover violence from Mexico.

Brilliant. Just brilliant! So now the government is going to get our brave young men and women murdered by the gang violence of a foreign country, when completing the border fence could have greatly reduced our potential loss of life.

Where is our esteemed government going to lay the blame for these deaths?

JOHN KENT

Tampa

JOIN DISCUSSION

The Tribune welcomes letters and e-mails from readers. Text should be original and no longer than 150 words. By making a submission you agree the Tribune may edit the letter for length and clarity and publish it in any medium. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number. Mail to P.O. Box 191, Tampa, 33601-0191 or e-mail without attachments to tribletters@tampatrib.com.

The writer is president, Florida AFL-CIO.

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