Letters for Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017

• A New Zealand model? • Gabbard deserves credit, not criticism

A New Zealand model?

In January I visited New Zealand and while there I tried to visit a New Zealand model dairy. Alas, the people I talked with assured me that the model had failed during an unusual seasonal rain. Many of the larger dairies got fined out of existence for pollution of streams and waterways.

I was told that the average dairy farm now is 350 cows. These smaller farms share processing facility with one another. However, a double-barrier is often required to prevent seepage and overflow.

Hopefully, the authorities who read the environmental study for the proposed dairy in Poipu will consider reality and not just accept everything that is written. Further, we need a monitoring agency as they have in New Zealand to fine producers whose cows abuse the environment.

Marjorie Gifford, Princeville

Gabbard deserves credit, not criticism

I’ve been very disturbed by the negative media coverage of Tulsi Gabbard’s trip to Syria.

Tulsi is doing what’s pono — working for peace in the spirit of aloha. The U.S. has been causing horrific deaths and destruction around the world for decades now as a result of regime-change war. Vietnam, over 50 years later, still has not recovered from our horrific war against them. Iraq has not recovered. Libya is now a failed state and haven for terrorists.

The people of Syria have suffered horribly as a direct result of the U.S. arming “rebels” who work alongside the likes of al-Qaeda, al-Nusra and other terrorist groups. This is a well-documented fact. Over 400,000 Syrians have died and 12 million are refugees; the worst refugee crisis in modern history.

Those who criticize Tulsi should ask themselves this simple question: Why are you advocating for the U.S. to support groups like al-Qaeda who want to destroy us?

Ellen Abrams, Kapaa