<p>Residents should demand apology from allies, not Trump</p>
<p>To the editor:</p>
<p>I read David Carlson’s recent editorial “Ordinary citizens can publicly apologize to allies for president’s behavior, actions” (July 24) with great skepticism. As a former soldier serving in West Germany in the 1980s, I know that NATO has been an extraordinary success in guaranteeing a relatively peaceful world after the Second World War. That being said, Trump is absolutely correct in calling out our allies on their low military expenditures and lack of combat readiness.</p>
<p>Let me say that I have issues with Donald Trump. He doesn’t take time to study issues in-depth. He can act like a bore on the international stage. His tweets are, in most cases, not helpful. And, although he is dealing with issues that previous administrations have ignored, he comes across as the bull in the china shop. But in this case the facts are on the president’s side.</p>
<p>According the German news organization Die Welt, the Germen Defense Ministry reported that:</p>
<p>“At the end of 2017, no submarines and none of the air force’s 14 large transport planes were available for deployment due to repairs.</p>
<p>Other equipment, including fighter jets, tanks and ships, was outdated and in some cases not fully operational because of bad planning or a lack of spare parts. Some air force pilots were unable to train because too many aircraft were being repaired.</p>
<p>Soldiers have experienced increasing levels of stress and there was a lack of adequate leadership due to some 21,000 vacant officer posts.</p>
<p>The report said the government needed to pursue reforms “with greater urgency” and increase defense spending.</p>
<p>A lack of funding and inefficient management structures and planning were behind the problems. Germany has cut defense spending since the end of the Cold War. In 2017, it spent about 1.2 percent of its economic production in 2017 on the armed forces, which is below the 2 percent target recommended by the NATO alliance.”</p>
<p>Die Welt also reported that “the Bundeswehr is due to take over leadership of NATO’s multinational Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) at the start of next year, but doesn’t have enough tanks, the Defense Ministry document said. Specifically, the Bundeswehr’s ninth tank brigade in Münster only has nine operational Leopard 2 tanks — even though it promised to have 44 ready for the VJTF — and only three of the promised 14 Marder armored infantry vehicles.”</p>
<p>On a broader scale, the 28 countries of the EU have a combined GDP of some 19 trillion dollars (by contrast Russia’s GDP is 1.4 trillion dollars). The EU countries can easily afford an adequately trained and equipped military. But they have been conditioned to rely on the U.S. military — see the U.S. involvement in the Bosnian war.</p>
<p>Additionally, the Gazprom (Russian natural gas producer) natural gas pipeline to Germany will transfer billions of euros to the Russian government. The same government that we are spending billions of dollars to defend Germany from.</p>
<p>This issue can be seen in two ways. We can focus on President Trump’s public attacks on NATO allies or we can focus on our NATO allies who refuse to adequately fund their militaries. I reject Mr. Carlson’s call for people to apologize for the president’s remarks. More than anything, the U.S. taxpayer should demand an apology from those members of NATO who have not met their financial obligations to the alliance.</p>
<p>Joe Gombach</p>
<p>Franklin</p>
<p>Representatives should push for Hill’s resignation</p>
<p>To the editor:</p>
<p>After multiple, credible allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced in March against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, both Republicans and Democrats called for him to resign.</p>
<p>Four women, including state representative Maria Calderon Reardon (D-12) and three legislative staff members, say that Hill touched them inappropriately at an Indianapolis bar where legislators and staff were celebrating the end of the legislative session. Reardon says Hill touched her back and then grabbed her buttocks. She told him to “back off.” He then moved on to assault other women in the crowd.</p>
<p>Hill has not offered any alternative account of his behavior on the night in question. Instead, at a televised press conference, Hill proclaimed that he “wanted his name back” and would fight for it. He is now running paid Facebook and Google ads targeting his accusers and defamation suits have been threatened against his victims.</p>
<p>This is not a partisan battle. The Governor of Indiana, a member of Hill’s own party, called for his resignation, along with the leadership of both parties in the House and the Senate. They hired a local law firm to conduct an independent investigation.</p>
<p>Now the Indiana inspector general has begun an investigation, a special prosecutor has been named to investigate, and three state representatives are talking about filing letters of impeachment, which will require another investigation.</p>
<p>What about these victims’ due process? There are no facts in contention. Instead of more investigations, it’s time for a public conversation. Most of the GOP lawmakers have kept quiet, including our own Rep. Woody Burton (R-58) and Sen. Greg Walker (R-41).</p>
<p>To make progress and to protect future victims, our representatives need to weigh in on whether Hill should resign and how we can protect future victims.</p>
<p>Hill’s office website says the Indiana attorney general helps protect the rights, freedoms and safety you enjoy as a citizen of the Hoosier state. He cannot perform the duties of his office under this cloud and legislators should push him to resign.</p>
<p>Margaret McGovern</p>
<p>Greenwood</p>
