R.C. Longworth’s “Cold War lesson” (Perspective, June 2), an overall analysis of government policies since Sept. 11, is right on.
Indeed hotheads and hysteria prevail.
The president declares war on a criminal.
And Congress, without voting, goes along.
So we have a nation at war with Osama bin Laden, an individual, criminal though he may be, who has not been located since, despite the mass efforts of a military and an intelligence operation that receive billions each year.
Meanwhile our domestic programs for the poor, elderly, retired, sick and young go to pot.
At the same time, Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft and his ilk would like to insert themselves into our Internet, telephones, chamber pots and pantries, just hoping they’ll find some of us are bombers who can’t answer all of their questions.
Then they can stick us into their jails and keep us there for months or even years without any of us or anyone else having a clue as to why we’re there.
Unfortunately this great nation, since the Marshall Plan, hasn’t learned that problems are not solved with the military and the secret police.
People’s problems are often solved by giving them food, shelter, clothing, education, jobs, health and medical care, and retirement security.
The military, FBI, CIA, etc., only serve to complicate badly an already badly complicated world and nation.
