A MOTHER, A CHILD AND A DRUG WAR

To the Editor:

Re "Peru's Reckless Shooting" (Editorial, April 24):

You are right to call for an un biased review of the joint United
States-Peru aerial interdiction program that led to the tragic death of a
missionary and her infant daughter. But your standard for resuming the
program, minimizing the risk to innocent fliers, is much too low.

The question arises, How many casualties are prevented by the interdiction
program? No one has offered any evidence that even a single life has been
saved. Cocaine is as plentiful and cheap as ever, and the enormous profits
generated by the drug trade guarantee that for every smuggler who is
foiled, another will take his place.

It's time that we applied the same cost-benefit analysis to drug policy
that the Bush administration applies to all other government regulations.
The costs are known: billions in tax dollars and the loss of innocent
life. Where are the benefits?

Michael St. Hippolyte
Brooklyn