DRUG WAR NEEDS TO END

The irony of the front page report (10/23, "U.S. Hits Hard at Mexican
Cartel") while Barbara Shelly's column (10/23, "Futility of the Drug
War Illustrated by COMBAT") is buried on A-21 is almost too much to
bear.

I'm tired of the drug wars. I used to think the "police action' of
Vietnam was about Standard Oil and Pepsico. Now, years later, it's
very clear it was about export of drugs from Third World countries to
the U.S. to bolster developing economies. How many Third World
countries do we have to support? Why are we in the Middle East? Oil?
No. Poppies? Yes.

Listen up Democrats and Republicans alike: It's time to legalize
narcotics, in order to tax, control and regulate usage. As widespread
as illegal use is here, this revenue would solve the funding of health
care in a very short time. Add legalization to the current health care
proposals, ease the tax burden of those people who choose not to be
addicted

Do something right for a change for the right reasons, not because of
lobby influence.

Carol A. Clopton

Kansas City