Letters To The Editor

YOUR BRAIN ON WAR

Will the war on terrorism be more successful than the war on drugs? Not if
all our resources are poured into military solutions without addressing
root causes.

What has the war on drugs actually achieved? We now have the largest penal
colony in the world, risky international interventions and a blighted
underclass - with little or no reduction in actual drug use. Treatment
programs, which have a highly studied and proven track record, are
virtually ignored.

A war on terrorism that focuses primarily on a military response is likely
to fail in similar ways. The conditions which produce terrorists, such as
unconscionable poverty, human-rights abuses, and the need to protect our
oil source at all costs, must also be addressed. Otherwise we will face an
endless supply of enemies, both within and without.

There may well be a role for the judicious use of protective force. But a
policy which focuses mostly on military intervention and domestic
surveillance is likely to result in eroded freedom at home and increased
resentment abroad - with no gain in actual safety.

Helen Gabel
Seattle