Pubdate: 20 Nov 99 Source: Canberra Times (Australia) Contact: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/ Author: Peter Stonebridge ASSAULT ON DRUGS AN UNWINNABLE WAR THE STANCE taken by the Australian Federal Police Association (CT, November 17, p.3) just shows how out of tune they are with the heroin problem. The police, Customs, National Crime Authority, etc, have been trying to stop heroin coming into the country for over 40 years, with no real impact on street trade. In fact the heroin problem is getting worse, which in turn causes crime to rise which means more police, more promotions! If there was no money to be made in the heroin trade then the problem would decrease, crime would fall, police numbers could be cut or used to target crime which affects people, like burglaries, etc. Your household insurance premiums would fall. There would be no needles in the street. There would be no need for any more armed hold-ups to pay for smack. How long did it take all the generals and majors to realise Vietnam was an unwinnable war. PETER STONEBRIDGE Pearce - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder