Letters to the Editor

Mosul Dam Is a Looming Disaster

Re “Iraqi dam, reclaimed from ISIS, now risks falling to neglect,” (News, Jan. 12): It has been approximately 16 months since the reclaiming of the Mosul Dam from fighters of the Islamic State; now there is a threat that the dam may collapse.

Efforts to contract the repair of the dam are proving difficult and the rainy season is fast approaching. If the dam were to collapse, some 500,000 people could be killed and a million more displaced. American and international focus has been on repairing the dam, but the Iraqi government and the international community need to work together to create a quick and effective plan in case the dam fails. This would include domestic and international rescue procedures and aid for the displaced and injured.

It is time for Iraq and the rest of the world to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Chelsey Schultz, Seattle

Russia, Ukraine and Crimea

Re “Ending Crimea’s isolation” (Opinion, Dec. 28): I understand Dimiter Kenarov’s position on incorporating Crimea into Russia, but what would he say if other nations followed President Vladimir Putin’s example? Germany, for example, could say that it wants Königsberg, now known as Kaliningrad, back because it is also has mythical status for Germans.

It should be clear to Mr. Kenarov that acquiescing to the demands of an aggressor only whets his appetite for more. Perhaps the best example of this is the Munich agreement of 1938, when British and French leaders thought that Hitler would be satisfied if they gave him the Sudetenland, where the majority of the population was German. The result of this was that the Nazis demanded that Germany be given all of Czechoslovakia.

I can well imagine that many people in Ukraine feel that if Russia’s annexation of Crimea is recognized, Mr. Putin will not hesitate to annex Eastern Ukraine.

Jane Maureen Mühlum Wiesbaden, Germany

Mentoring American Educators

Re “Teach your teachers well” (Opinion, Jan. 14): Effective teachers are lifelong learners, enjoying riches that only student success and growth can provide. Establishing a mentor network could provide invaluable professional development for teachers, and it need not cost a penny.

Universities have effectively used alumni networks to provide volunteer mentors for students. School systems likewise could use crowdsourcing to connect master teachers with teachers seeking professional growth, bringing them into the 21st century without breaking the bank.

Jeffrey H. Toney, Union, N.J.

Provost and vice president for academic affairs, Kean University
