FEEDING TERRORISTS?

A recent public service advertising campaign on television warns
Americans that if they buy illegal drugs they are aiding and abetting
international terrorism.

This may be true, but it is equally true that much of the financial
support for the terrorists who attacked America on Sept. 11 came from
citizens of oil-rich Middle Eastern nations. It is also true that
President Bush rejected proposals for more efficient fuel standards
for American vehicles, thereby continuing the nation's dependence on
Middle Eastern oil.

In addition, the Taliban government that supported Osama bin Laden's
al-Qaida terrorist network for years received major financial and
military support from the United States.

So before the government pins too much blame for international
terrorism on drug users, it should examine its own policies, which
have contributed as well.