Threat would rise if we leave
I read with disappointment the announcement of Congressman Arcuri in the Sept. 1 paper calling for the immediate withdrawal of our troops from Iraq.
I am afraid that Mr. Arcuri’s motives for making the call are steeped more in politics and his pandering to both his party leadership and far-left constituents than in solid, well-thought-out policy. Arcuri’s call for withdrawal shows a shocking naiveté as to the true nature of the threat we face and the implications that we would have to confront should such a withdrawal from Iraq take place.
The men and women of our armed forces deserve better leadership in Washington than those who wish to promote the "cut and run" policy that Arcuri is advocating. Our enemies, and in particular Islamofacists, believe that Americans have lost the will to fight and advance the cause of freedom around the world.
Our children and grandchildren deserve a world whereby their freedom and opportunity to succeed in life are secure. The "cut and run" mentality, which was quite frankly practiced by presidents of both parties over the last 20 years, resulted in the attacks of 9/11 and Saddam Hussein’s willingness to ignore the U.N. and continue on his rampage of tyranny. Where would the world be had we not liberated the Iraqi people _ a nuclear arms race between a Saddam’s Iraq and Ahmadinejad’s Iran?
The path to securing our future freedom and prosperity is through the measured projection of strength. Theodore Roosevelt said, "If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness."
Be a leader, Mr. Arcuri, and choose righteousness. Give our troops and the Iraqi people your full support and afford them the time and resources to complete the mission. Nothing less than that is acceptable.
Eric Jenkusky
Oneonta
Sodium-sulfur battery an answer
A sodium-sulfur battery is a type of battery constructed from sodium and sulfur. This battery exhibits high energy density, high efficiency of charge/discharge (89-to-92 percent) and a long cycle life. Made from inexpensive, nontoxic materials, it can hold a charge for up to 15 years.
The sodium-sulfur battery is not new _ only in its application. The technology was developed by the Ford Motor Co. in the 1940s. It is best suited for large-scale nonmobile applications. A suggested application is grid energy storage. A 6MWh system has been installed at Tsunashima, Japan.
Now, when electricity is made it goes into the grid and is used right away. The grid does not store electricity. The only way electricity can be held is through co-generation. Co-generation means that electricity must, for example, pump water into a reservoir where it runs through a series of turbines more slowly to feather out the demand. Most of us remember instances when a power plant went down or a large transformer went out, causing brownouts and blackouts.
With the sodium-sulfur battery, it will be possible to store huge capacities of electricity without the need for continuous generation of electricity.
What will this means to us?
We will not have to burn polluting fuels just to keep the system up and running.
If we burn fuels, we will be able to say where and when and get it for the best price.
We won’t have to over-
produce. We will be able to meet the demand absolutely and have capacity to spare.
It will not become profitable to dot the landscape with ugly, inefficient commercial wind machines, which mar the natural beauty of our countryside and pose a threat to migratory birds.
This technology is moving quickly. This is not new technology only suppressed by, guess who?
David Hampel
Delhi
