Less than pleased on N. Korea pact

Re “N. Korea says yes, for now, to a freeze,” Feb. 13

Where has the intellect, common sense and street smarts in our government gone? Instead of being a world leader respected by other nations and the source of pride of Americans, we seem to be outmaneuvered, outsmarted, impotent or without the will to create positive outcomes in virtually every aspect of international dealing and domestic issues.

North Korea has us exactly where it wants us, getting what it wants and costing the U.S. another tidy sum. I expect that the U.S. will be forced to bear the primary financial burden of this giveaway to North Korea. We find ourselves with a gun to our head, which is tantamount to being blackmailed, without understanding a lesson long known: You can’t give in to blackmail. It never stops. The more you appease, the weaker you get.

Our government needs to bring in its most severe critics to begin a formal assessment of what we have done wrong, what we are doing wrong and what steps we can take to better position the U.S. within the world community to more effectively address challenges and to rebuild our sense of purpose.

SID PELSTON

Los Angeles

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Another treaty with North Korea -- when will we learn? It has broken every recent treaty it has signed. I’m beginning to understand how the American Indians must have felt about the treaties they signed with the U.S. government in the 19th century.

DON LANDIS

Carlsbad