Arrogance propels U.S. foreign policy

The state of our nation is precarious. Power has led to arrogant unilateralism. Arrogance may be our chief enemy.

Threats to pre-emptive war against Iraq, reluctance to talk to North Korea, our inability to halt violence in Israel and Palestine, and the demeaning of civil rights while continuing the war on terrorism; all present life-and-death challenges for the president and Congress.

We simply cannot have our own way, not even in the pretense of a higher morality.

Strengthening our common ties with other peoples in efforts for peace, freedom and human rights is essential in redirecting our foreign policy.

Urgent is the enhancement of the United Nations, not expecting other nations to submissively bow to our power. We should work for the end to testing, proliferation and deployment of nuclear warheads; the abolition of land mines and chemical weapons; the establishment of an international criminal court to deter and punish war crimes and genocide; and support of the Kyoto environmental accords. This would begin the recovery of our international sense of direction.

Concern for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction is justified. Still, the administration appears willing to discount U.N. inspections and our own culpability in the race for super weapons.

Demonizing leaders makes for forceful rhetoric, but dubious public policy. Saddam Hussein should be brought before the court of The Hague for crimes against humanity if evidence warrants.

Our primary and long-term struggle for life and liberty will be successful only as we deal with the causes of violence, poverty, prejudice, corruption and religious triumphalism.

Robert Bobilin
Emeritus professor
University of Hawaii-Manoa

FAA needs to restrict aircraft over Waikiki

There were warning signs long before 9/11 that something terrible could happen soon. Could a similar situation be happening here?

Those of us who live in the Waikiki/Diamond Head area have been petitioning the Federal Aviation Administration for years about the insufferable noise from aircraft flying too close to Diamond Head. Not only is it too noisy, it's not safe.

But the FAA has said it has to balance safety concerns with "economic" concerns. In other words, reducing noise, by directing aircraft farther away, is not "economically justifiable."

But last weekend, according to television news reports, an approaching China Airlines 747 strayed over the Diamond Head, Waikiki and Moiliili neighborhoods at an altitude lower than a 41-story building.

Several years ago a state Department of Transportation study recommended establishing an aircraft noise abatement zone covering the Diamond Head/Waikiki residential area, and restricting aircraft from flying any closer to our shoreline than a couple of miles.

The FAA chose to ignore that recommendation.

Mike Roeder

There are worse penalties than death

I agree with state Sen. Willie Espero that the sexual violation and murder of a minor is a horrible crime. However, as Espero notes (Star-Bulletin, Jan. 9), crimes such as this are the exception rather than the rule.

With automatic appeals in such cases, how much will the death penalty cost taxpayers? The defense of Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, cost $14 million. I prefer life without parole in solitary confinement, so they go crazy and take their own lives.

Phil Robertson

Two little rules would eliminate road rage

Most Hawaii drivers disregard the traffic code. If most drivers were tested on the way they normally drive, they would not have received their license in the first place.

People seem to take posted speed limits as suggestions -- requests -- and not the law designed by civil authorities to provide for safe, expeditious travel. And really, if a driver travels around town along 25 mph roadways at 40 mph, what time would be saved on a 30-minute trip? Maybe five minutes? C'mon people, we live on an island!

Further, it is so easy to signal a turn, yet many drivers still don't. It's not like having to have your window rolled down and making arm signals; all one must do is flick a lever.

If all people observed speed limits and signaled as they should, a lot of aloha would appear, replacing a lot of road rage.

Stuart N. Taba

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