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I am grateful to the writers of the March 18 Lookout op-ed published on Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s record of supporting Israel’s war on Gaza. It’s a record that dovetails with his consistent support for military intervention.
He served as a Navy intelligence officer in the Afghanistan war, and it’s not surprising that he identifies with and supports the men and women in the military whom he sees as carrying on the crucial work he once undertook. Unfortunately, his personal history predisposes him to overvalue military solutions rather than insist upon negotiated ones.
This predisposition is reflected in the campaign donations he receives from the defense sector, $95,525 in 2024, according to Open Secrets. Along with the huge AIPAC donations he receives, it’s not surprising that Jimmy Panetta doesn’t talk about peace or the disastrous human, animal, environmental and climate impacts of the warring he promotes.
I am so ready for a genuine peace candidate who will never be bought by corporate giants of the war machine.
Eva Brunner
Santa Cruz