Readers sound off on buying Israel weapons, an intransigent Arizona DA and a pitcher’s injury

Americans are footing the bill for atrocities

Boston: With a glossy Tiger Beat centerfold of Bibi Netanyahu thumbtacked above a cluster of L.L. Bean glamping bags, this unnamed D.C. townhouse is the bipartisan slumber-party pad of many an elite D.C. warmonger.

For last Saturday night’s saber-rattling clique, the pre-beddy-bye game was “Would You Rather?” Around the circle they went. First was Lindsey Graham, then Antony Blinken, followed by John “Kirbs” Kirby (photo), and finally it was Tommy “Q-Tip” Cotton’s turn to answer.

A gooey frog laboriously choked down his pendulous throat, Minority Questioner Mitch McConnell coated each drawled vowel in sticky sorghum molasses: “Would you rather… 1) Roast an Israeli being abducted by Hamas with an Apache Hellfire missile; 2) Abandon a few dozen Gazan preemies to rot in generator-cut incubators; or 3) Explode the head of a 13-year-old Palestinian amputee recovering in her Nasser Hospital bed with a 155 mm artillery shell?”

Q-Tip responded, “Golly, y’all! I gotta choose just one?”

Commencing in the late 19th century with father of Zionism Theodor Herzl’s “The State of the Jews,” right up to today’s Netanyahu liquidation-orgy, the native Palestinian Arabs — long the predominant inhabitants of the land — have unceasingly had their fate hegemonically force-fed to them. For more than 100 years, the Palestinian Arabs have been displaced, humiliated, immured and slaughtered. Damnably, the world has ignored their misery.

And although my voice doesn’t resound like Sheldon Adelson’s tumbling casino bullions or persuade with Raytheon Tomahawk cruise-missile might, to the venal milquetoasts in blood-soaked D.C., I emphatically proclaim: “No more genocidal dollars in my name.” Scott R. Hammond

Play it fair

Manhattan: The U.S. government talks peace in the Middle East, but when it puts its money where its mouth is, it supports war. In the civil war in the former British Mandate Palestine, to avoid religious/ethnic discrimination, perhaps the U.S. should provide $3-4 billion a year in military aid to the Palestinians. If weapons really are deterrents, peace would soon be at hand. Michele P. Brown

Life on the line

Clifton Park, N.Y.: Regarding the Alabama in vitro fertilization decision, every Republican politician should be asked the following question: If there was a fire in a hospital and you could only rescue one child or a dozen frozen embryos (children?), which would you choose? John Landers

Claim it

Massapequa, L.I.: Embryos are people? Looks like Alabamans are getting another tax deduction this year. Paul Pepe

Not there yet

Millville, Del.: I am curious how you set up a playdate for my kids with an embryo. Just asking. John Sgarlata

Off his rocker

Tarrytown, N.Y.: To Voicer Armand Rose: If President Biden is in steady decline, as told by a non-expert in cognitive research by a prosecutor who had no knowledge or expertise in this area, then it must be determined that Donald Trump should be in an assisted living facility due to his incoherent, bizarre and off-the-wall ramblings. Adam Reich

Gender equity

Bronx: Women have always been looking for equality with men, and society has been dictating what roles men and women should play. If you want to settle this disparity once and for all, ban all single-sex activity, jobs and sports. Everything should be co-ed. That should settle this once and for all. Daniel Correa

Tragedy and tribute

Brooklyn: Another shock to another community upon the death of the most recent school crossing guard from being run over. I say this as my mother was one of the first school crossing guards put on the NYC payroll 69 years ago, when it all began. She served 20 years, from 1955-1975, in front of Mark Twain Junior High School, protecting all the kids from harm’s way from these out-of-control drivers who do not adhere to any traffic rules or regulations. Thank you, NYC, for honoring this wonderful lady with this worthwhile remembrance. Marilyn Kanarick

Support from afar

Floral Park, L.I.: Kudos to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell for having enough sense to refuse Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s demand to extradite murder suspect Raad Almansoori back to NYC. Mitchell knows Bragg’s track record for letting criminals go unpunished and wants to ensure that this one gets what he deserves. Part of the blame goes to Gov. Hochul for not pressuring Bragg to do his job effectively. NYC would be a far safer place if we had a DA with the integrity and conviction that Mitchell has shown. Angelo Vetrano

Easygoing jurisdiction

Elmhurst: No New Yorker in their right mind could object to the Arizona prosecutor Rachel Mitchell’s reasoning in not extraditing Raad Almansoori, the suspect in the SoHo murder of Denisse Oleas-Arancibia. Alvin Bragg will pat the suspect on the head, give him a $1,000 prepaid credit card and send him to a welcome home party. James League

Permissive system

Yonkers: Congrats to Arizona prosecutor Rachel Mitchell for having the courage, intelligence and common sense to keep Raad Almansoori locked away until his cases there are adjudicated rather than sending him to N.Y. to possibly be released on low or no bail, free to maim or kill again or to simply disappear. Given how Bragg and N.Y. judges can be blind to the dangers some suspects pose to the public, Mitchell did the right thing. I believe foolish legislation like bail reform and “raise the age,” along with refusals to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are responsible for these criminals-over-the-public attitudes. These policies raise the specter of the late N.Y. judge Bruce “Turn ’em Loose Bruce” Wright, whose nickname accurately reflected his misguided “criminal welfare ahead of public safety” approach. Thank you Ms. Mitchell, for putting common sense and public welfare ahead of politically correct foolishness. Mark Bloom

Casting call

Manhattan: Jack McCoy is no longer Manhattan’s district attorney on “Law & Order.” The real Manhattan needs a real standup DA. Looking for a job, Mr. McCoy? Raymond McEaddy

Leadership material

Brooklyn: I’ll say what a lot of people are thinking. Rachel Mitchell should run for president. She’s got my vote, I don’t even need to hear another word. Rocco Conte

No rush

Staten Island: Raad Almansoori is already in the custody of the Maricopa County attorney. He’s being charged with stabbing two women. Let those cases play out and then have him returned to N.Y. There’s no statute of limitations for murder. Brian O’Leary

Pattern of poor taste

Brooklyn: Voicer Janet Cecin misses the whole point of my letter that criticizes Jimmy Kimmel for ridiculing George Santos. She says, “Jimmy Kimmel [was] showing the world how ignorant, arrogant and self-serving a moron George Santos is.” First, no. The news media already showed that, ad nauseam. Kimmel was just ridiculing Santos. Second, my letter was not about whether Santos is good or bad. It was about what a rotten character Kimmel is. He has thoroughly humiliated Mike Lindell in the past. Kimmel has brought into the studio Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, apparently for the express purpose of humiliating him on national TV. It’s not a question of whether these people were good or bad or deserved it or not. It’s about what a rotten character it takes to go around humiliating people. David Balsam

Everybody else, too

West Hempstead, L.I.: Kudos to you for your daily full-page ad sponsored by your paper honoring Black History Month. I will be looking forward to seeing your daily full-page ads honoring Jewish History Month, Asian-American History Month, Hispanic History Month, etc. That will show how your paper cares equally for all the cultures that make up and have developed American culture. Samuel Mark