Readers React: Upset at oil-rich Saudi Arabia? Start driving an electric vehicle

To the editor: Righteous indignation over the likely death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is being expressed by countless Americans. Most of us feel impotent, however, to do anything about it.

The Saudi ruling family is a wealthy bunch and uses its money to intimidate or buy off anyone who would try to interfere in its machinations. But there is a chink in the royals’ armor: Their wealth comes exclusively from oil, so anything that reduces demand for oil scares them.

This is where you come in. If you drive an internal combustion car, switch to an electric vehicle. You’ll not only eliminate the pollution you were generating, you will also forever stop giving money to the oil industry.

As more of us take this step, we will eventually eliminate oil as the energy source for all ground transport. Saudi Arabia will have to deal with the loss of most of its income and the knowledge that its deadly ways hastened that loss.

Paul Scott, Santa Monica

The writer co-founded the electric vehicle advocacy group Plug-In America.

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To the editor: Trump suggested when he asked Russian President Vladimir Putin if his country tried to influence our election, and Putin denied it, he believed him.

Trump said when he asked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if he was going to destroy his nuclear weapons program, and Kim said yes, he believed him.

When Trump asked the Saudi crown prince about a Washington Post journalist, and the prince denied his government was responsible for his death, Trump suggested he believed him.

Ronald Reagan’s pronouncement of trust but verify is somehow lost on this president. How come he believes dictators but not the people around him?

Lou Rosen, Pacific Palisades

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To the editor: Funny how quick people forget that President Obama had two American citizens killed by drone strikes on foreign soil. I guess a different morality applies to him.

Bob Launius, Oxnard

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