PETRO-TERRORIST?

To the editor:

I am concerned with the Bush administration's attempt to link drug use here
at home with support for terrorism abroad. National TV ads surfaced during
the Super Bowl claiming that kids buying illegal drugs were funneling money
to terrorists. In fact, the Bushies have created a new term to describe
this linkage: "narco-terrorist."

It seems clear to me that terrorism, like that which destroyed the World
Trade Center and 3,000 American lives, was sponsored by Middle East madmen
willing to commit mass murder and suicide to vent their hatred of the
United States. And contrary to the Bush assertion, the money trail has led
to oil-rich sponsors in the Middle East - not to, for example,
marijuana-growers in Mexico, Canada or even here at home.

If the Bush administration were really concerned with eliminating the
financial wherewithal of Middle East terrorism, it would take steps to
reduce the need for oil-based transportation and energy. According to the
Energy Information Assn., over half of the world's oil reserves reside in
the Middle East.

Instead Bush, whose campaign was financed by oil money, shows little
empathy with those who would argue for increased conservation via higher
mileage standards for vehicles (including trucks and SUVs) or nonpolluting
renewable energy (solar and wind power).

In truth, the Bush administration should run national TV ads accusing those
of us who drive vehicles of supporting terrorists. Perhaps they could even
come up with a new term to describe the linkage. "Petro- terrorist" anyone?

Donald Phipps

Lawrence