Letters to the Editor Policy

Let Them Eat Cake?

Pitting farmers against farmers, is what I see happening with the ethanol production.

"The sky is falling,” now the consumers are worried, or so it reads. Cough syrup is even going up. "Oh my"! Because of the (use all our) corn issue.

Maybe we can import it cheaper and buy our oil from Iran and forget what value our American reputation in the world is. Pitting consumers against a product that can eliminate our need to buy oil. Pitting consumers against the farmers, seems to work every time. How much heat does one jet engine put into space? How many bombing missions? Do vacationers worry about that? We better change our light bulbs! I wonder if they’re made in China, too? Wasn’t there a plant in Dunmore once? You know the town, in America, next to Scranton.

Yesterday after church, every restaurant in the valley was wall to wall SUV's. The corn shortage must not affect them. Or at least on that end of the scale. Ah, plastic, I wonder; what is a credit card made from?

People who invest in the big plunger on wall street must be going nuts buying into pork bellies and oranges! Sucking the rest of the life out of the poor people. For God’s sake, just let the American farmers starve and loose their land, they will find a way to adjust. “Let them eat cake."

Sincerely,

Peter A. Seman

Thompson, PA

Fund Drive Is Underway

The annual Susquehanna Fire Dept. Ambulance Fund Drive is underway. Every household in the coverage area should receive a donation request.

The fund drive is very important to the operation of the Ambulance Service, as we do not receive any tax dollars to support it. We rely on the fund drive donations, and what money we receive from some insurance companies that are billed for ambulance service, to finance operations.

As a reminder, the fund drive has replaced the old Ambulance Club Membership. When you contribute to the fund drive, you receive the same benefits as provided in the old membership club.

It is more important this year than ever that the community support the ambulance fund drive, given the unprecedented cost increases in operating the ambulance. If you have not received a fund drive request, please contact the Susquehanna Fire Dept. Ambulance, P.O. Box 175, Susquehanna, PA 18847, or call 853-3861.

Sincerely,

Susquehanna Fire Dept. Ambulance

Oh, What A Tangled Web...

The United States' involvement in the charnel house that is today's Iraq started more than 50 years ago, but not in Iraq, in Iran. There is a disturbing parallel of political events in both nations. Looking at Iran half a century back gives a glimpse of the future. The prognostication is discomforting.

In 1951 Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh was elected prime minister in Iran. He was Iran's first democratically elected leader. One of his first acts was to nationalize the petroleum industry, which was under the sole control of British Petroleum (BP). The Brits wanted "their" oil back, but they needed American muscle. The CIA obliged.

Through bribery, disinformation, and orchestrated riots, the CIA instigated a plot to overthrow the democratic government. It was successful. In its place the U.S. installed the puppet dictatorship of the Shah of Iran. And what was one of the first acts of the Shah? The oil fields were once again placed back into the hands of BP with the U.S. companies getting a piece of the pie.

Finally, in 1979 after 25 years of the Shah's oppression, enforced by the SAVAK – a Mideastern version of the Gestapo – the hated Shah was sent running for his life to the U.S. The Ayatollah Khomeini was recalled from exile in France to return to his homeland in triumph. An Islamic republic was overwhelmingly approved by the electorate.

Reflecting on the American staged coup, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said in 2000, "[T]he Shah's government also brutally repressed political dissent." She continued, "It is easy to see now why many Iranians continue to resent this intervention by America in their internal affairs."

The intervention never stopped. Recently, President Bush allocated $75 million to fund dissidents in Iran. Nor has our appetite for control of Iran's oil fields diminished.

Turning to Iraq, we see a twin train of events.

In 1972 Saddam Hussein led a revolt, which swept away the western controlled regime. His first act was to nationalize the oil industry, which was under the monopolistic control of – you guessed it – BP. Thirty-one years later, Hussein and his stature were toppled.

This year the western-friendly Iraqi parliament passed a law granting Shell, Exxon, and – surprise, surprise – BP a 30-year contract over its oil fields. These companies are to receive 75% of the profits from oil sales.

There is one more similarity in the history of Iran and Iraq.

There are only two exchanges in the world where huge quantities of oil can be bought and sold: one in London and the other in New York City. In both exchanges, the only currency that is accepted is the dollar. This is a prime factor in giving the dollar value; a nation must have a sufficient wealth of dollars to fulfill its petroleum needs.

Saddam Hussein was, and the present government of Iran is, in the process of establishing an exchange for petroleum that accepts euros as well as dollars. This will diminish the demand for dollars as well as its value. Time will tell if the exchange survives and if BP et al will get "their" oil back once again. Either outcome portends an ominous future.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Letters To The Editor MUST BE SIGNED. They MUST INCLUDE a phone number for "daytime" contact. Letters MUST BE CONFIRMED VERBALLY with the author, before printing. At that time you may request to withhold your name. Letters should be as concise as possible, to keep both Readers' and Editors' interest alike. Your opinions are important to us, but you must follow these guidelines to help assure their publishing.

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