Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 Source: News & Observer (NC) Copyright: 2003 The News and Observer Publishing Company Contact: http://www.news-observer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/304 Author: Ron Pappalardo Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?203 (Terrorism) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/traffic.htm (Traffic) DEFUNDING TERRORISTS Former police officer Peter Moskos, in his July 16 Op-ed article "Lockups won't win drug war," made a strong case for rethinking the 30-year-old "War on Drugs." There's another reason we need to seriously consider legalization. From North Korean heroin smugglers to Columbian FARC terrorists, there isn't a rogue nation or terrorist group in the world that doesn't receive significant income from drugs. We won't win the war against terror if we don't stop illegal drug trafficking. Ironically, the only way to do this is to legalize such drugs. Conservatives like William F. Buckley, Milton Friedman, George Schultz and Gov. Gary Johnson have already recognized this. This doesn't mean we should condone drug use, but we must take the trade away from the terrorists and warlords if we are to stabilize nations like Afghanistan. Legitimate governments will then be able to regulate the trade, defund the criminals, and derive revenue from a multibillion-dollar trade that in current reality is tax-exempt. If we do this, our experience with Prohibition suggests we will see a dramatic decline in murder rates, a sharp decrease in prison populations and law enforcement savings in the billions of dollars annually, without a significant increase in drug usage. Our present policy of destroying coca farms in South America breeds resentment and strengthens the terrorist cause. Imagine the outrage if European Union airplanes dropped herbicides on North Carolina tobacco fields to fight cigarette smoking! We urgently need to begin a national debate on this issue and explore the establishment of an ABC Commission-type agency for drugs. Ron Pappalardo Cary - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin