SUCCESS OF DRUG WAR

Re: July 10 commentary "In the nation's drug wars, sanity goes up in smoke."

Kathleen Parker argues for legalizing and taxing marijuana for $7.7
billion in savings plus $6.2 billion in new revenues annually.

She's got it all wrong. The drug war is not insane; it's a superb
success, for it enhances international and domestic federal control,
encourages drug-dealing and therefore greater consumption and lines
the pockets of our drug warriors.

It's just like the war on terrorism, another vastly successful war.
Our war on terrorism creates far more terrorists than we can handle,
thus staying the course by promoting fear and continuing to fight and spend.

Our metaphorical wars create more drug users and more terrorists.

Now, maybe it's time for a war on love and peace, which could create
more for everyone. How about a war on money?

DON LAIRD

Austin