Donald Trump does not value vetarans, is incapable of showing honor to those who supported Americans that liberated Europe

The Dutch in Holldand honor our Amercan fallen soldiers better than we do here at home | Opinion

(Maine Writer:  My uncle was an Italian immigrant to the US, he joined his family in Pennsylvania in 1922 (?) when he was already 10 years old. When World War II was declared, he was drafted because his father- my grandfather- became an American citizen and made sure his son was naturalized. When my uncle was drafted, he served as a sargent on a tank in a unit that landed in Normandy, but the orders directed then through Europe towards Holland, where he was wounded while trying to escape a Nazi Luftwaffle attack on his tank. My uncle's unit was part of the US army that helped to liberate Holland from the Nazi occupation.)

World War II - Dutch Liberation Of The Netherlands

An echo opinion published in the Houston Chronicle

Memorial Day essay, Veterans and Donald Trump: Regarding “Grew up in Houston. Killed by Nazis. Remembered by the grateful Dutch. | Opinion,” (May 23): Thank you for the lovely op-ed about the Dutch care and concern for the American military graves.

My father ws a pilot in the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. I visited the place where he was buried by a village priest after his plane crashed in the battle called “Operation Market Garden.” He dropped paratroopers and pulled gliders.

This first burial place, near the city of Eindhoven, was green, tree-covered and beautifully maintained. On the monument’s left were the names of the Dutch soldiers. On the right were names of Allies, and it was very gratifying to see Lt. Colonel Ralph Lehr’s name in such a lovely place.

By contrast, his body, when taken home to western Oklahoma, was reburied near numerous relatives in a dry, windy, treeless graveyard in sight of the wheat fields that had brought immigrants to the Oklahoma Land Rush.

Many American soldiers lost their lives in the Market Garden battle after surviving D-Day. The British allies also lost many lives.

I was 18 months old, and my brother was 6 months old. My widowed mother was only 24.

I am horrified ❗ that the United States has Donald Trump, who is a president and convicted felon, who called these soldiers “suckers.” They were heroes who preserved the democracy that we seem to be losing. Equally disturbing is this president’s treating our allies so terribly as he upturns our economy. Maybe his bone spurs make him cranky.

From Sally Lehr, in Houston Texas

And this: My parents lived in Holland during World War II and witnessed firsthand the atrocities and heartache of living under Nazi oppression. I remember my father sharing the stories of liberation and gratitude to those who gave them back their freedom, but I was not aware that the Dutch continue to remember the sacrifices by visiting the Netherlands American Cemetery, placing flowers, saying prayers and honoring each American who gave their all. 

As the Dutch like to say, “Hup Holland!”

From Bill Van Rysdam, in Porter, Texas

Putin in a pile of problems

Ordinary Russians visited the Dutch embassy in Moscow to pay their condolences for the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine as it was flying from Holland to Malaysia. Many left flowers, reports BuzzFeed

And some left notes. This one says, simply, “Forgive us”.

It seems the Russian people are already way ahead of their heinous leader Putin in asking for forgiveness.  

Vladimir Putin, president of Russia,on the other hand, hasn't even acknowledge Russia's involvement in providing the missile and the technology that took down the passenger airliner.

Well, maybe the Dutch, who suffered the unimaginable loss of citizens in the completely unwarranted attack on the Malaysian Airliner MH17 by a Russian built missile, can possibly forgive the Russian people.  But they absolutely won't forgive Vladimir Putin.

Russians leave flowers at Dutch embassy in Moscow

As a matter of fact, President Putin is up to his cold blue eyes in a pile of problems resulting from the destruction of MH17.  

Now only did the Dutch people loose nearly 200 people in the attack, but the world lost a team of international AIDS experts who were excellent advocates for humanitarian public health. 

Putin must somehow explain how Russia will pay reparations for the unprovoked crime against a passenger airliner with heat seeking missile. Moreover, he must resign as a result of his failed leadership.  

Not only has Putin's puffed up ego driven Russia into economic stasis, he's created a useless ruble worth about "2 bits" or a US quarter. His outrageously grand spending on the Sochi Olympics drove the Russians into debt and Putin's war mongering in the Ukraine brought about US economic sanctions. Now, Putin's problems include international disdain, including the potential for a United Nations investigation. Moreover, his arrogance and lack of remorse reflect on Russians living or traveling in Asia. Many Russians live as expatriated Oligarchs in Asia. Now, they'll likely be in a position of having to pretend they're either Polish or Ukrainian, to avoid the ire of the Asians, who also lost citizens in MH17 and, by the way, don't like the Russians' bossy attitudes, anyway.

Putin is in a pile of problems. His predicament is creating pressure on him to respond. Unfortunately, Putin has been in a defensive and finger pointing mode. He's in psychotic denial of the preponderance of evidence about the Russian mistake that now puts his leadership in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, it will be a long time before Russia can recover from this totally preventable MH17 tragedy.  

Regardless of how Putin ends up - banished or worse, the Russian people will have to find a way to pay reparations to the Dutch and Malaysian airlines for this disaster. I doubt the families of the victims of this tragedy will be very patient with their expectations.

P.S. Additionally, when Putin goes, as he must,......Syria's tyrannical President Assad will be vulnerable, as well.