In the June 29th issue of The Transcript, our friend Bob Scroggins suggested we wage jihad against Islam. Let's take a levelheaded look at an emotional suggestion.

FACT: Muslims vastly outnumber us. FACT: Muslims greatly out zeal us. So in what universe can we be expected to actually win such a war? We may place our confidence in our superior technology, but the same did not enable us to prevail against the Viet Cong. They had the superior will and it prevailed against us. The same would be even more true when it comes to Islam.

We may have the arrogance that God is on our side, so our victory is certain. Nearly two thousand years ago, the Jewish Zealots, confident of God's favor against the evil pagan Romans, provoked a war of independence against them. The result was the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the near-extinction of the Jewish people. Will we make the same mistake in presuming God's favor?

I understand that people are angered by terrorist attacks occurring on a regular basis, and frustrated with the slow process of using intelligence to identify jihadists and eliminate them with surgical precision. Certainly, it's more emotionally gratifying to call for all-out war. But we cannot do that. See, the only thing that's sparing us from the victory of Islam is keeping the majority of them on the sidelines. Toward that end, we cannot convince them that we're at war with all of Islam. Once they believe this to be true, they all join the jihad. And we lose.

We must maturely accept that terrorist attacks are a fact of life and that we can't prevent all of them. That they'll go on as long as there's this current dysfunction, this sickness within Islam. Railing against Islam is not going to cure this dysfunction. The solutions lie outside of hate, insults, and warmongering-- the only tools in the right-wing toolbox. Certainly good sense is lacking there.

Sincerely,

Stephen Van Eck

Rushville, PA

Buy this tale and you'll buy the Brooklyn Bridge.

Bill Clinton's private jet landed, then waited on the tarmac for a half-hour until another private jet pulled along side of his plane. Talk about coincidences. Somehow Bill recognized it as Attorney General Loretta Lynch's plane.

Without waiting for an invitation, Bill disembarked and proceeded to board the AG's plane. Bill just couldn't let an opportunity slip by to talk with her about their grandchildren and golf. Lynch doesn't play golf, but it seems she loves to talk about it.

Excusez-moi! One could easily surmise that it was less of a coincidence and more of a secret rendezvous. However, there was one reporter present on the tarmac. He was there on a tip that a meeting between the former president and the AG would take place.

The FBI immediately approached the lone witness forbidding him to take any photographs. Now, why would that be? In any case, the word was out. Post haste the explanations started to fly faster than their jets.

Bill and Lynch said they just exchanged “pleasantries” and talked about their grandchildren and golf. And, no. There was no discussion whatsoever about Bill's wife, Hillary, or the ongoing criminal investigation. They assured us of that.

Hillary said she didn't know a thing about the tryst until “I found out about it in the [public] news.” She parroted that her criminal investigation was never discussed. Supposedly, Bill must have run the grandchildren-and-golf story by her.

Apparently, the former president, the AG, and Hillary think the average Joe has the intelligence of a fence post and the gullibility of one who believes in the tooth fairy.

Lynch agreed that it was inappropriate to have any intercourse with Bill lest it arouses suspicions of impropriety. It was all just harmless chit-chat although, paradoxically, they said they would never do it again.

It's hard to imagine a more inauspicious timing for Hillary's latest scandal. But it gets worse.

The fix was in.

The FBI was anticipated to forward to the AG a finding of guilty in Hillary's e-mail case. The AG was to accept the agency's findings and lower the charge to a misdemeanor. But Bill and Hill blew that one.

I write Bill “and” Hill because it is inconceivable that Bill would arrange the AG meeting without Hillary's go ahead.

Lynch has not recused herself but said she would accept the FBI's determination. This gets tricky. Remember we're talking about lawyers. “Accept” could mean that she would merely consent to receive a report but retain her authority on whether or not to prosecute. Possible but unlikely.

It's more probable that the DOJ has, or will convene a grand jury. The AG will then have to prosecute a felony not a misdemeanor. Either that or weather a firestorm of indignation that would necessitate her resignation. At this point, the horizon bends out of sight into uncharted territory.

And that's just the half of it.

Waiting in the wings is the DOJ's second and parallel investigation into the Clinton Charity Foundation. Under investigation are Hillary's actions during her tenure as secretary of state and single “donations” of tens of millions of dollars by foreign entities to the Clinton Foundation.

Will Hillary be forced to suspend her campaign? And who could fill her place so late in the game; Joe Biden?

Could this be the end of the Clinton crime couple? Bill, whose law license was revoked for lying under oath, and Hillary, who has been described by acquaintances as a pathological liar---the perfect pair.

They have been styled as the Bonnie and Clyde of politics. Now, they wait to go down in ignominy like their criminal counterparts of the '30's.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA

The Pennsylvania constitution says in Article 1 section 27, “The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and … the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”

There is a proposal to build an industrial toxic waste incinerator at the Gibson exit of Interstate 81. Even if it worked perfectly and followed all the EPA and DEP air emission rules, it would be allowed to pour large amounts of poison into the air. We would all be breathing the poisoned air. Rain will wash the poisons out of the air onto the ground to poison the ground where our crops grow and percolate down into our drinking water. The cows would eat the poison on the grass and drink the tainted water. Who is going to want to drink the milk they produce?

This proposal is a clear violation of the PA constitution. It must be stopped. Both the county and the New Milford Township have the authority to pass ordinances to prevent nuisances. They need to pass the strongest possible ordinances to protect us from this assault on the health of the people in the county. The toxins are reported to affect a 50 mile diameter area around the incinerator. East Liverpool Ohio has a similar incinerator which has helped devastate the economy where it is located. No one wants to be anywhere near it.

As an example of the effect of an incinerator, the East Liverpool elementary school children were tested for mercury before the incinerator started and 31% tested positive for mercury. Six months after the incinerator started nearly 69% tested positive for mercury. Mercury causes many serious health problems.

Call the county commissioners office (570-278-4600) and the New Milford Township supervisors (Jack Conroy 570-465-4341, Don Shibley 570-465-9572, Scott Ferenczi 570-465-3946) to let them know you will back them in passing ordinances to make this an unprofitable place to locate an incinerator. You can also contact the New Milford supervisors using the email address nmt@nep.net.

Sincerely,

Wayne Chudleigh

Union Dale, PA