Readers React: Can Obama check Putin on Syria?

To the editor: Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of backing down to President Obama over Syria. (“At the U.N., Obama and Putin spar over Syria,” Sept. 29)

Why would he? What would Obama do? Nothing. And the world knows that Obama is weak.

With due respect, your headline, “Obama and Putin spar over Syria,” is an overstatement at the very least.

Randy Aldridge, Valencia

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To the editor: So we’ve come to this. George Washington warned against “foreign entanglements.” FDR was a prime mover in creating the United Nations, whose charter provides that “all members shall refrain … from the … use of force against the … political independence of any state.”

And now our president tries to convince the United Nations that it is really swell of us to be bombing Syria in support of some of its revolutionaries because President Bashar Assad must go.

I didn’t see that in the charter as an excuse for abetting a revolution or bombing a tiny country half a world away from us.

Even a former law professor ought to be embarrassed.

Arthur O. Armstrong, Manhattan Beach

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To the editor: Putin is propping up a brutal dictator (Syria’s Assad) as a bulwark against revolutionaries. Sounds like U.S. policy during the Cold War.

Russell Stone, Westchester

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To the editor: It is heartening to see a firm commitment taking shape to end the human suffering in Syria after two leaders of different schools of thought met at the United Nations.

Restoring the dignity of the human race is the need of the hour, not the uncompromising political dictums that disintegrate the global village.

U.W. Senanayake, Chino

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To the editor: Thanks to Patrick McDonnell for nicely summarizing the fiasco that is U.S. policy in Syria — and in the Middle East generally. Judging by the reported comments from Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany may soon choose to abandon the sinking ship of U.S. policy in favor of an approach that takes salient facts into account: Specifically, the Assad government is not toppling. (“Hard truth about Syria,” News Analysis, Sept. 28)

Iran is adjacent to the war zone, and its interests must be accorded both respect and deference.

Russia is not interested in losing its Mediterranean naval base now, any more than it was interested in losing its Crimean naval base a few years ago.

John R. Yates, Los Angeles

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To the editor: McDonnell gives good reasons why America should stop trying to immediately oust Assad. Not explicitly stated is the fate of the Alawite religious/ethnic group to which Assad belongs — a likely target of genocide should he be removed.

The United States and Europe should seriously rethink whether Assad’s removal is a good idea.

Chuck Almdale, North Hills

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