Pursue Iran nuclear talks but ready defense: Your Say

What a foolish, shortsighted dangerous piece: "Nuke talks could fill your pocket: Column." Although highly averse to high gasoline prices, American motorists surely would far prefer those to a mushroom cloud rising over an American city.

Commentary writer David Andelman's crass calculations aside, what's needed now is not an inevitably bad agreement, but the immediate imposition of the severest possible sanctions on that rogue state.

Richard D. Wilkins; Syracuse, N.Y.

Negotiations to shut down Iranian nuclear development appear stalled. After a successful ballistic missile test this February, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Western efforts to curb Iran's missile program "stupid and idiotic."

Even if Iran agrees to halt its nuclear program, we can't guarantee it will follow through on its promises. Therefore, we must remain vigilant.

Congress must fully fund our Ground-based Midcourse Defense missile shield. GMD protects us from a devastating nuclear strike on our homeland. While some opponents complain about the cost, leaders from both parties support GMD because they know it is protection against this growing threat – and well worth the modest price.

Congress and the Department of Defense need to add more interceptors and conduct additional tests. And we need to build a new interceptor base on the East Coast, which would increase our protection from the threat posed by Iran.

Roy Johnson, retired Army Ranger; Columbus, Ga.