Letters to the editor

GAZA

Israel's bomb attacks are crimes against humanity

The situation in Gaza is beyond a humanitarian crisis. It is now beyond a humanitarian catastrophe. It is a full-blown massacre. I say shame on the Israeli government for dropping bombs on the open-air prison of Gaza and the children of Gaza. Out of the 1.5 million people living in the concentration camp of Gaza, roughly half of them are children. Dropping bombs on schools is a crime against humanity, at the very least.

It is imperative that a cease fire is established and that the international community intervenes immediately. Of course, the manipulated media continues to spew the Zionist rhetoric, that Israel's army is only targeting the "great fighters" of Hamas.

Free Gaza!

MAYA CUTLER, Stanley

U.S. leaders should act to end violence in Gaza

The Idaho Peace Coalition strongly condemns Israel's attacks on the Palestinian people living in the Gaza Strip. We also condemn the aggression of Hamas by their ongoing missile strikes into Israel.

We call on the president, Congress and the American people to immediately use their influence to stop this campaign of terror. We recognize that without the military and political support of our government and American tax dollars, Israel would not be as emboldened to continue their attacks. Our direct and indirect complicity in this war cannot be denied.

Israel is committing grave violations of international conventions against the use of collective punishment, and committing violations of the Geneva Conventions regarding the responsibility of an Occupying Power to protect an Occupied Population. The disproportionate nature of recent military attacks in themselves violates International Laws of engagement.

The Idaho Peace Coalition calls upon President-elect Obama and Idaho's congressional delegation to enforce international laws to which our country is a signatory. Americans must speak out strongly against these mindless acts of violence and moral failure. All combatants must conduct an immediate cease fire and resume conflict resolution in a respectful dialogue and peace-seeking negotiations.

JOHN C. MCMAHON, U.S. Army retired, Idaho Peace Coalition volunteer, Boise

MADOFF SCHEME

The power of greed allows Ponzi schemes to work

Business plan for Wall Street Ponzi-schemer Bernard Madoff is as follows:

Recognize the fervent anti-regulatory attitude of agents running the Securities and Exchange Commission and other government overseers that allow you a free hand - check.

Utilize your status as former NASDAQ chair to gain confidence of your prey - check.

Seek out gullible investors who drink up the "get rich easy" Kool-Aid - check.

Dismiss minor SEC fines and reprimands of broken trivial rules as the cost of doing business and government's feigning doing "due diligence" - check.

Possibility of a short stint in jail for "good behavior" and recovering your secret treasure account - priceless.

It's not hard to understand how this happened. There's a part of the brain that wants something bad enough and overrides better judgment. This allows schemers like Madoff to be successful. Capitalism is really all about that part of the brain.

If people like Morty Zuckerman (a Madoff victim) want to know who's responsible for this robbery, they should look in a mirror for the co-accomplice. When these acts spill over to harm the rest of us, that's why we need genuine due diligence from government.

KEVIN BAYHOUSE, Boise