ANOTHER DRUG WAR INSANITY: WE'RE SUPPORTING THE TALIBAN

I was outraged to read that our government has given $43 million to the
vicious rulers of Afghanistan ("Taliban End Crop of Opium Poppies," May
20). The Taliban may have managed to reduce drug production, but they also
kill and torture women! Since they took control of Afghanistan, females are
not allowed to work, attend school or receive basic medical care. A woman
who accidentally exposes a tiny bit of her skin in public may be brutally
murdered with the government's approval and encouragement.

Oddly enough, the article didn't mention the Taliban's crimes against
women, nor did it remind readers that this is the same group of Islamic
extremists who recently destroyed many ancient statues of Buddha. The
article says that the loss of poppy revenue adds "another layer of
difficulty for a government that is already isolated and not recognized
diplomatically by most nations," but it doesn't say that the reason for
that non-recognition is Afghanistan's repeated affronts to human rights and
religious freedom.

Now the Taliban are forcing all non-Muslims in their country to wear
special clothing that identifies them. Gee, that sounds familiar! Our tax
dollars are going to support a regime as evil as the Nazis, yet somehow
this news only merited a small article on page A-6. How ironic that it
appeared in the same issue as the Forum piece "The Drug War Is Insane." The
insanity of making drug eradication our only priority is clearly
illustrated by the Bush administration's willingness to give millions of
dollars to these monsters.

Rebecca Stallings,
Squirrel Hill