Here's the truth about disputed Alaskan islands

A reader's recent letter to the editor complained that eight Alaskan islands were donated to Russia by President Barack Obama. This reader has been misinformed.

Here are the facts (easily found via a little research.) All of these islands lie on the Russian side of the U.S.-Russian maritime boundary, set by a treaty that the U.S. Senate ratified on Sept. 16, 1991.

Then Alaska Sens. Ted Stevens and Frank Murkowski, both Republicans, voted in favor of this treaty. The treaty was signed by President H.W. Bush. In fact, no U.S. president has asserted claim to these islands for more than 85 years.

- Patricia McCann, Highland