To the editor: At a time when we are engaged in an epic battle with Russia, Jonah Goldberg’s latest column undermines the president and U.S. foreign policy on Russia. Though we are not in actual on-the-ground or in-the-air warfare, we are engaged in every other way: diplomatically, along with supporting NATO allies, countering Russian propaganda, imposing severe economic sanctions on Russia and supporting Ukraine by providing military weaponry and humanitarian aid.
Goldberg states that “An enormous amount of effort and planning went into crafting a single coherent message,” yet throughout his column he makes no attempt to enumerate even one point from the president’s speech other than the nine-word “gaffe.” Other pundits have stated that it contained a very important message, yet we hear nothing from Goldberg but Biden bashing. At this critical juncture it is important that Goldberg include a fuller picture of the president’s remarks, to support Biden’s efforts against destructive forces assailing democracy both at home and abroad.
Richard Z. Fond, Sherman Oaks
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President Biden should not apologize for saying “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” It is Putin who is committing war crimes in Ukraine to overthrow the democratically elected government. It is Putin who has imprisoned his opponent in the latest Russian election and who orders lengthy prison sentences for any Russian who says that Moscow is at war with Ukraine. Putin interfered in the U.S. 2016 election, as documented in the Muller report. Putin must be held accountable for his crimes.
Biden’s words may provide some Russian people with the critical information they need to judge their leaders, including that they are at war with Ukraine and not just engaged in a minor “special operation.” Ukraine must win this war, and the United States must do its part to help the country by not allowing Putin to intimidate us into not speaking the truth.
David Bendall, Aliso Viejo
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
