Source: The Washington Times-National Weekly Edition Pubdate: May 18-24, 1998 Contact: Fax: 202-832-8285 Website: http://www.WashTimes-Weekly.com PHONY WAR Even after the big yawn Bob Dole got from the drug issue in 1996, House Speaker Newt Gingrich seems to think he can squeeze it for some election-year mileage ("Winning the War on Drugs,"Commentary,may 4-10 edition). The drug cartels take in over $400 billion per year. So far the federal government has only been willing to spend $16 billion on the drug war. Now Gingrich pretends he's going to accomplish something by adding .01 billion to some "Drug-Free" program and asking all True Americans to wear a colored ribbon. A government cannot control what its people do to themselves on purpose in private. How much more money will we throw at the drug war before we notice it doesn't work? Bob Ramsey Irving, Texas - --- Checked-by: Melodi Cornett