THE WAR ON TERRORISM LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE WAR ON DRUGS

George W. Bush declared the War on Terrorism five years ago in
response to the events of 9/11.

Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs 38 years ago in response to
the large number of drug-addicted Vietnam veterans returning to the
States.

Once again, in his speech to the nation on 9/11/06, Bush reiterated
his position that the War on Terrorism is unique, that we have never
fought a war like it before. Yet, when one recognizes the similarities
between the War on Terrorism and the War on Drugs, one gains a new
perspective, and the War on Terrorism is put into a proper context.

Neither war is between two sovereign states. Rather both are wars
between a sovereign state and a group of individuals unaligned with
any state.

Both wars are being fought against small, mobile units in various
parts of the world.

The United States can convince Peru to crack down on coca growers and
cocaine trafficking, and the drug cartels simply move across the
border into Colombia to plant their crops. The United States can drive
the Taliban out of power in Afghanistan in its effort to extinguish
al-Qaida, and al-Qaida moves to tribal lands on the border with
Pakistan, which no state effectively controls. Moreover, al-Qaida
cells pop up in England, Spain, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Canada and
Indonesia. (In the meantime, poppies for opium continue to be the
major income crop in Afghanistan.)

Neither drug lords nor terrorists require much space. Enough coca to
supply the entire United States market for cocaine can be grown in an
area no larger than one-third the state of Rhode Island. Terrorist
cells are able to work effectively out of small apartments in any city.

While it takes large amounts of money for the United States to
maintain defense, the terrorists and drug cartels both operate with
comparatively small financial investments.

Both wars take advantage of porous borders. Drugs come in through
Mexico, through Canada and from both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Terrorists undoubtedly move with impunity across our borders despite
all the efforts and money being invested to prevent them from entering.

Both wars cost the lives of United States citizens. The terrorist
attacks on 9/11 took the greatest toll within the United States; yet,
during the past 38 years of the War on Drugs, thousands of lives have
been lost and major social problems in the United States have been
exacerbated.

If George W. Bush is a wartime president on the basis of the War on
Terrorism, then every president since Richard Nixon has been a wartime
president on the basis of the War on Drugs. And, since it is likely
that the United States will still be fighting both of these wars 38
years from now, future presidents will also be wartime presidents.

On the other hand, if George W. Bush bases his claim to be a wartime
president on the war in Iraq, a majority of the people in the United
States now see that war as quite separate from the War on Terrorism.

Iraq is a war of Bush's own making and, therefore, a war that he and
his administration are responsible for ending before they leave office
in 2009.