Letter to the Editor

Distracted leaders

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Dear Editor,

Bush is suddenly pushing hard to search cargo going into No. Korea. It makes good sense -- we want to stifle their nuke-making capabilities, and searching in-going cargo would probably help to that end.

But it's odd, because we don't even bother to search the mountains of cargo coming into our own ports every day. Do they intend to wait until someone sneaks in components, builds a bomb and conducts a "test" in an American city before we get serious?

Instead they are distracted -- by their push to legalize torture, to permit arrest and detention without regard to our rights as citizens, to read our emails, to listen to our phone conversations. They think "homeland security" depends mostly on spying on Americans and removing our precious rights and freedoms. I wish they were watching the real threats more closely.

We wouldn't be in this mess but for White House neglect. They have not regarded North Korea as particularly important, even though they were so close to having a working bomb. Instead, our Republican leaders have been distracted by Iran's nuclear program, which is years behind North Korea's.

Why are they obsessed with a threat maybe 10 years off, to the point of ignoring a threat right here and now?

The only reason I can see is that they want another war -- in Iran this time. Unfortunately their record with wars they start isn't too great. Remember Iraq? Remember Afghanistan? Well, at least another war would serve to deflect voters' attention during a crucial election.

Our leaders are distracted, and therefore we and the rest of the world are in danger. We need new management. Let's get some people in there who know how to pay attention to business, and who will care enough to actually do so.

Larry Harvey

McCook

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