Letters to the Editor

June 4

Foreign policy needs adjustments

The Afghan/Pakistan crisis is a real mess. And our government thinks that we are there because radical elements still want to attack the U.S.

In a recent article in the Washington Post by Selig Harrison, an expert in the Afghan-Pakistan region and an author of 5 books on that region of the world said, in part:

 “The Taliban is entirely Pashtun. The Pakistani army is comprised mostly of Punjabis. For centuries Pasktuns living in the mountainous borderland of Pakistan and Afghanistan have fought to keep out invading Punjabi plainsmen. And now we have the U.S. backed Pakistani army [Pujabais] trying to push out the Taliban [Pashtun’s]. Americans think the struggle raging in Pakistan with the Taliban is about religious fanaticism. But in Pakistan it is about explosive fusion of Islamic zeal and simmering ethnic tensions exacerbated by U.S. pressure for military action against the Taliban and its al-Qaeda allies.”

 So, what does this suggest? It suggests that we don’t understand the long standing underlying ethnic tensions in that region of the world. It suggests that we are thinking that U.S. intervention with the military is somehow going to defeat centuries-long regional hates and prejudices. It suggests that those groups do not have designs on attacking America, they have designs on attacking each other. And just throw in the name “al-Qaeda” and we suddenly justify every mis-step we are taking in that region of the world.

 First, let’s get our military out of that region of the world. And secondly, how about this radical idea: Stop sending billions of dollars worth of American-made military weapons into that entire region of the world, including Israel, and instead provide humanitarian aid and diplomatic support toward peaceful efforts as our ongoing involvement over there. I realize that the lobby for the U.S. military manufacturing complex would scream “bloody murder” and probably cut off funding to certain of our congresspersons, but surely that suffering pales compared with lost lives of our young soldiers, the tax money it takes to finance these military operations, and the encouragement of armed conflicts by our obsession with military weapon sales to foreign countries.   

 Bob McClellan, Polson

Lakers thankful for SB 343

The Flathead Lakers wish to thank our legislators for their support for Senate Bill 343, the Aquatic Invasive Species Act. We were very pleased that this bill passed the legislature with the support of every Flathead Basin legislator and was signed into law by Governor (Brian) Schweitzer.

Zebra and quagga mussels have devastated water bodies in the Great Lakes states and more recently spread to Lake Mead and other southwest reservoirs. It is virtually impossible to eradicate the exotic mussels once they become established. They cost utilities, municipalities and other water users millions of dollars to control. They can decimate native aquatic plants, animals and fisheries. 

The new legislation gives the state and the Flathead Basin partners who are developing a local prevention plan new opportunities to combat this threat. The Flathead Lakers previously posted warning signs at all Flathead Lake public boat launches. Specific education and prevention actions in the plan will begin this summer.

Our special thanks to Senator Verdell Jackson for sponsoring the bill and to Representative Janna Taylor for carrying the bill in the House. 

Zebra mussels and other invasive aquatic species pose a huge threat to Flathead waters and, if accidentally introduced, would greatly impact boaters, anglers, marinas, irrigators, cities and electricity users.  Please help spread the word that any boat entering Flathead or Montana waters that has been used elsewhere must be thoroughly cleaned to protect our priceless waters and our economy from this menace.

Larry Ashcraft, president, Flathead Lakers

Another great play

Yesterday, we went to the John Dowdall Theater to see “The Sound of Music.” It was wonderful! We enjoyed the beautiful songs and the talented cast. Thank you all. Thank you to Neal and Karen Lewing for making it all possible.

Bill and Joan McDermott

Thanks, workday crews

Our hats are off to the SKC Community Service Workday crews. Throughout the area projects were completed which make our area a better place to live. Here at the Boys and Girls Club, Natalie Malaterre headed up a crew of willing volunteers and put us ahead of schedule in preparations for our 50-day summer program. The day was a total success.

Another surprise volunteer (Chuck Keller) from Kalispell came down to help us install a new swimming pool liner. He recruited a small group from Natalie’s workers and in a short time we had a new liner and we’ve since filled both the pools in preparation for our summer swimming program.

Thank you SKC for a wonderful day, a great start on our summer program preparations and fun conversations with a great group of volunteers!

John Schnase, executive director, Boys and Girls Club

It’s a pleasure to serve

As the school year comes to a close, we want to congratulate the graduates of all area schools. We wish to comment the school bus drivers for their safe transportation of all their younger charges. The drivers have a superb safety record. All too often, I fear we take them for granted.

We commend all the faculty and staff for their due dilligence to delivering our youth the education they need to forge ahead in a very interesting world.

We thank the parents who have shared their sons and daughters with us, the members of the community, we are richly blessed.

Finally, it is such a pleasure to serve our citizens and our youth. However, we fail to express often enough our appreciation for their support and friendship. So thanks one and all, be you a student and/or a community member.

Polson Police Chief Doug Chase