THE 'WAR' IS A FAILURE

Re: Aug. 27 Interview with David Israelson.

Though not much new can be said about the drug war, I dutifully read The
Dallas Morning News interview with David Israelson, director of the
recently formed North Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task
force. After all, The News' 1996-98 editorial support of the HIDTA played
no small part in the task force's formation.

One thing I hadn't seen before is that drug-warrior lingo acknowledges
fighting drugs is just as much a business as peddling dope. Mr. Israelson
says "the ability to share [information] in the drug world is the most
important aspect." Here "the drug world" refers not to drug pushers, but to
the "FBI, DEA, Dallas Police Department, U.S. Customs, Texas Department of
Public Safety."

Mr. Israelson expresses concern over the money laundering and violent crime
associated with drug trafficking. These two aspects of the drug market
exist only because of his efforts to support high drug prices.

His goals? "Hopefully, we'd like to see the purity go way down and the
price go way up." The reduced purity will kill people by making the drugs
more dangerous, and the increased prices will attract more violent
manufacturers and dealers.

How does he measure success? By the ever-increasing number of people he
jails, and by "dismantling" more trafficking organizations than existed
when he started.

How does Mr. Israelson sum up the prospects after spending 30-plus years
dismantling drug traffickers? "They never go away. They just re-form."

Mr. Israelson should retire and turn the drug market over to drug stores.
Drugs are too dangerous to be controlled by criminals.

Bob Ramsey, Irving