A plan to buy back Iran
I am told by my friends who have family members in Iran that possibly a large majority of the citizens there are praying that the U.S. will in the end keep its word — to have their backs when it forces a regime change.
This would at least be a win for the Iranian people who at this time are under attack by both their brutal, incompetent government, and by the United States. And they have no access to weapons nor to a criminal justice system that might protect them. So, who will stand for the people of Iran?
My idea, in outline, is that some of the billions in frozen funds and oil revenue that have been withheld from Iran through international sanctions be used to pay off the current leaders of the Islamic Republic on condition that that they leave
Iran permanently and relinquish any claim to assets held there. This agreement would be contingent upon the Strait of Hormuz and other threatened seaways remaining fully unencumbered — by Iran or its proxies — and enforced by the ability to withhold payments to them if the agreement is breached.
You might say, correctly, that even if practicable, this plan is immoral because it rewards those who have perpetrated vile inhumane actions against many thousands of innocent victims. But we also have to weigh the morality of allowing the carnage (crimes against humanity) to continue, and even to spread, with vast human and environmental losses and with no other solution in sight (think Gaza).
If this is found to be an acceptable trade-off, and proves effective, the same approach might also be worth exploring for Cuba, Venezuela, and other countries enslaved by tyranny.
Dianne Coin, Ventura
Too much tree trimming
Ventura has a tree trimming problem.
It’s summer, and the trees are springing to life after a wet winter, putting forth a layer of bright green baby leaves. But as soon as we see vibrant new growth, we know something else is inevitable — the sound of chainsaws.
Current tree trimming practices throughout the city quite frankly resemble butchery. It’s commonplace to see almost complete defoliation, large tree limbs awkwardly chopped in half, or even the dangerous practice of “topping,” where the main trunk is hacked off to prevent upward growth. It’s a complete wonder that some trees are able to survive this — many are not.
The current landscape of skeletal trees throughout Ventura is not normal. We may have become accustomed to seeing them trimmed this way, but trees are not meant to withstand this type of severe over-trimming and thrive. Some may argue that trees can handle it, but I would caution against this thinking. Trees don’t grow like bushy shrubs that flourish after they are severely cut back, like Mexican Sage.
Healthy trees have dense leaves that cover their branches, make their food, and provide shade. They have secret places for nesting birds and are allowed to fill out to their natural size and shape — anything less compromises their health.
It’s not to say that tree trimming should never happen; it’s critical to trim trees in the fall to remove dead branches, or to prevent them from interfering with electrical wires and homes. But no more than 30% of the tree should be removed.
We can demand better pruning practices to protect our mature trees. We must recognize the beauty we’ve been gifted by the foresight of prior generations that planted them and do all we can to keep them alive and thriving in this climate-changed world.
Lisa Leombruni, Ventura
Spinnaker Drive needs repairs
For years, Spinnaker Drive has remained an inhospitable gateway for visitors and an embarrassment to Ventura residents. This one-mile stretch serves Harbor Village’s wonderful shops and restaurants, the Channel Islands National Park visitor center, the boat ferry to the islands, and access to popular surfing beaches.
Ventura is better at welcoming guests than Spinnaker Drive’s disrepair suggests. When will city leaders recognize the importance of this highly visible corridor and make its repair a priority?
Anne Kohut, Ventura
A reminder to keep pets safe
Recently, on the Facebook Ventura County Lost Pets page, two people from Fillmore had similar stories. A group of teens had taken their cat from the yard and run off with it. They don’t know if they were going to abuse the cat, take him to the open land around Fillmore and release him, use him to train fighting dogs, or any number of horrors.
I pray that they get their cats back and have no idea how someone can be so cruel. This is a reminder to people in Fillmore and other cities to keep their cats indoors, 24/7. Besides this type of terrible predator there are coyotes and cars out there, too.
Debby Mooney, Ventura
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Iran proposal, tree trimming, Spinnaker Drive disrepair, pet safety | Letters
