UP IN SMOKE: FBI GOES TO POT

Larry Milam's May 29 column, "Fault of Sept. 11 lies with airlines, not
government," was excellent reading, but it only tells just a small part of
the larger story.

The truth is, if the FBI's attention had been directed toward actual
threats to our freedoms instead of playing Rambo with a couple of local
potheads, the disaster that occurred Sept. 11 might never have happened.

While Americans ask why the Justice Department failed to investigate the
"20th hijacker" when informed of his capture in Minneapolis, one area that
clearly needs review is why, just one week prior to Sept. 11, the FBI had
deployed more than 50 agents and snipers to participate in an asset
forfeiture situation in Cass County, Mich.

This was just scant hours away from where Zacarias Moussaoui was being held
by - you guessed it - the FBI.

Apparently pot-smokers somehow deserve more attention than terrorists under
the Bush administration.

Two of America's sons lay dead on the ground.

One was shot through the forehead by an FBI sharpshooter while the
Minneapolis and Phoenix offices of the FBI begged for someone at
headquarters to listen concerning an imminent terrorist threat that
ultimately resulted in the death of nearly 3,000 innocent Americans.

Desperate to prevent the media attention of another Waco or Ruby Ridge,
John Ashcroft and his Justice Department focused on two rural Americans
while the World Trade Center was about to burn.

Now we all pay the price for their negligence.

While terrorists were attacking our freedoms, the FBI was laying a deadly
siege at the Rainbow Farm.

Go figure.

Mike Plylar

Kremmling, Colo.