GIVING AFGHANISTAN AID MAKES NO SENSE

To The Editor:

Last week, the Bush administration announced that the United States is
giving Afghanistan a gift of $43 million.

The Taliban controls this country. These people enslave their girls and
women. This government also provides sanctuary to Osma bin Laden, one of
the world's most dangerous terrorists. The United States government has
publicly denounced the human rights practices of the Taliban. Our
government has also publicly denounced Afghanistan for its association with
Osma bin Laden.

It seems to me that this so-called gift is directly supporting the
enslavement of females in Afghanistan and terrorism at the same time!

How many homeless people in our own country could we have housed with $43
million? How many hungry children could we have fed? What about drug
rehabilitation programs? Assistance for the elderly? The list could go on
and on.

I am one citizen who supports foreign aid that makes sense. This action by
the Bush administration simply makes no sense at all.

Roger D. Long
Mountain Home