High salaries could lead to California-like crash Re: “Top local government brass rake in big bucks,” Dec. 27
The list of local government officials’ salaries makes me wonder: Is this is the beginning of another California fiasco?
Bernard Helinski
Baltimore
Obama handed over our nuclear superiority to Russians
Re: “Nuke treaty boosts U.S.-Russian ties,” Dec. 24 The New START agreement is a bad deal for America because about 10,000 Russian tactical nuclear weapons — which outnumber U.S. and NATO combined by a ratio of 10-to-1 — are not included in the treaty. There is also no provision for monitoring these weapons, which are the most likely to be pilfered or stolen and sent to terrorists.
While President Obama is unilaterally disarming U.S. strategic forces, the Chinese, North Koreans, Iranians are increasing their arsenals.
America’s superpower status, which has protected many nations, has been given away to the Russians, who protect no one and have enslaved many captive nations. Now they have been given permanent nuclear superiority in the world, making our country less safe and more vulnerable to attack from our enemies.
Retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Dominik G. Nargele
Arlington
Unwelcome intrusion at Battle of Bulge ceremony
Light snow was falling as 40 veterans and their families gathered at the World War II Memorial on Dec. 16 to observe the 66th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.
The 84-piece Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides, founded in 1832, had traveled from Belgium to be with us during our four-day reunion, together with dignitaries from Belgium, Luxembourg and the U.S. But a uniformed park ranger would not allow the ceremony to begin, demanding that the band move behind the veterans and remarking: “There are more players in the band than spectators.”
The 80- to 90-year-old veterans, some of whom had been taken prisoner during the battle they were commemorating, were participants, not spectators. After 15 to 20 minutes, the band was finally herded into its proper place and the ceremony went on, but the solemnity of the moment was disturbed.
As a veteran in that group, I was embarrassed for this prestigious band, which has played at many formal occasions all over Europe. The National Park Service would be well advised to provide sensitivity training for current and future public servants they employ.
Robert Schneider
Hortonville, Wis.
