Opinion: Sending food to Afghanistan is aiding the enemy

We keep reading about how difficult, if not impossible, it is to beat the Taliban with military action. So the Taliban should be blocked from receiving any aid. President Bush has said that all nations must decide whether they are with us or with the terrorists. No fence-sitting; decide one way or the other.

I am amazed and appalled to read that the United Nations is shipping food into Afghanistan. Is this not aiding the Taliban? The shipments even include wheat that the United States has donated. That means that we, too, are aiding the Taliban, so why are we donating the wheat? The food is supposed to keep the Afghan people from starving, but is anyone so naive as to think that the Taliban will not confiscate it for its troops?

I'm no military strategist, but common sense dictates that you do not feed your enemy. If we are at war, we must win any way we can. If that means starving them into submission, then that's the way to go.

I wonder, is the United Nations with us, or with the terrorists?
-- Andy Tanico, Palm Harbor

Let the Taliban feed its own

I don't understand why members of the Taliban aren't feeding their own people. They have the resources to wage war, so, why should we or anyone else send aid to the Afghan people? Why isn't there a worldwide demand for the Taliban to feed its own people?
-- Robert Lochead, Hudson

Drop food and blankets

With everything I have read and heard about the suffering of the Afghan people -- their starvation and fear of the cold winter coming, their fear of American bombs, their disdain of the Taliban's religious police and the Taliban's inability or unwillingness to help its own people -- I can't help thinking that we should send over as many planes as possible and blitz the country with food and blankets all indelibly marked with the American flag.

Surely this would strengthen the Afghan people to get rid of their repressive Taliban government themselves. This seems like such a simple, humanitarian and effective idea. Why is it that no one of our elected officials thinks like this? If there is anything wrong with this idea, I would like to hear it.
-- Shirley Copperman, Tarpon Springs

Base review will enhance military

Some are questioning the wisdom of the Senate in voting Sept. 25 to proceed with a review of our country's military bases -- wrongly concluding this is an effort to downsize. To the contrary, I am a strong advocate of a pending defense bill that contains huge increases in funding not only for the military in general but also for bases across Florida.

A piece of this legislation regarding base realignment -- sought by President Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Henry H. Shelton (chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) would give the administration more freedom to reallocate resources at some military bases. This request came most recently in a letter to Senate leaders 10 days after the terrorist attacks. In his Sept. 21 letter, Secretary Rumsfeld pleaded that the ability to realign bases "will be a critical element of our war-fighting strategy." During this time of preparing for a sustained war on terrorism, I felt it important to support our commander in chief's request.

Regarding installations in Florida, there is little reason to be apprehensive about possible cuts because our bases play such vital roles in the defense of our country. For example, MacDill in Tampa is host to the U.S. Central and the U.S. Special Operations commands; Pensacola is host to the Navy's primary flight-training operations; and Mayport in Jacksonville is home to an important carrier battle group -- in addition to other key facilities throughout the state.

As a member of the Senate's Armed Services Committee, one of my top priorities is helping our military remain the best fighting force in the world -- especially in the wake of recent events when our homeland has come under attack. As a senator from Florida, I always will fight to protect each and every military operation in our state.
-- Bill Nelson, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.

There's cowardice in anonymity

Re: The danger in easy labels, letter, Sept. 24.

Despite what the letter writer says, I believe the term "cowardly" to describe the terrorists' acts hits the nail directly on the head. The reason that the media, as well as others, have referred to the acts as cowardly is that the perpetrators have not taken responsibility for their actions. The terrorist acts were inflicted by (as has been stated time and again) "a faceless coward." I will not use terms such as courageous or brave to describe what the terrorists did to this great nation, but instead use these words to describe the firefighters, police officers, aircraft crew and passengers, and other loved ones who perished on Sept. 11, 2001.

I would rather use sinister and evil as labels for the terrorists. I do not feel good about using these words. Why bother trying to convince ourselves that we are dealing with a coward, when, in fact, whoever orchestrated the attacks is entirely too much of a coward to take responsibility. The American people are by no means harboring a false sense of security; we know what lies ahead. I have never been more proud to be an American.
-- Rusty Harwood, Clearwater

Try being neutral

Maybe instead of seeking revenge, the United States should take a long hard look at itself and see why people from other countries hate us.

Maybe if the United States would have a foreign policy of complete neutrality (like Switzerland), bring all of our troops home, sell no arms to any foreign country, withdraw from all treaties with other countries and not economically exploit other countries, the people of foreign countries would not hate the United States.

Nobody likes someone who does not mind his own business, tells you how much better his system of ideas is and economically exploits you. Why should it be any different with countries?
-- Mark Drebin, New Port Richey

Not ready for a police state

Re: Make a sacrifice for safety, letter, Sept. 16.

The letter writer states that he is ready for Big Brother to step in and protect him in his travels. In addition to that, he proposes a national ID card.

I, for one, am not ready for that. In my estimation, the police and security agencies at all levels of government already have far too much power. I am not ready to live in a police state. The agencies of government may start out all right, but they soon end up abusing the powers we give them. Witness the search-and-seizure laws that were intended to control drug trafficking. What happened? They became a money tree to fill the coffers of police departments. The laws were totally corrupted by the police and shyster lawyers. No, my friend, the government is not to be trusted with such sweeping powers. Go back and read 1984 again. If you haven't read it, I recommend it to you.

The surveillance cameras in Ybor City are a prime example of the abuse of police powers under the guise of fighting crime. The proposed federal legislation for harsher security laws was merely a ploy to punish whistle-blowers. Every time government officials propose harsher laws for your protection, you may rest assured that they are more for their own protection.

In closing, I would like to leave you with a quotation from Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Gerald A. Daigle, Spring Hill

Rights are no good if you're dead

Re: Civil rights.

We have been a very free country with our residents able to do and say almost everything. All those rights will not do us any good if we are dead. Now is a time our government needs help, and it is ours to give, temporarily.
-- Florence Highland, New Port Richey

The folly of a police action

Re: We need police action, not a war, letter, Sept. 26.

I would like to point out that the Korean conflict was a police action. About 1.5-million Americans served in Korea, it is estimated that 54,000 died there and more than 1OO,000 were wounded or reported missing. U.N. casualties, 447,697 dead, 547,904 wounded or missing, for a total of 995,601.

The Communist forces (North Korean and China) had a total of dead, missing or wounded of 1,420,000.

The police action started on June 25, 1950 when North Korea attacked South Korea and lasted until July 27, 1953 when the truce was signed. However, we still have troops stationed there.

Because it was a police action, we had our hands tied and were not allowed to fight a war. We had political restraints. We fired a general when he insisted we fight, we had boys killed nightly on patrols but pulled back to the main line of resistance.

There were thousands of civilians killed, many more thousands wounded or starved, thousands driven from their homes. I know, I was there. I have two Purple Hearts to show for it.

American lives will be saved if we use the tools that we have. No games, no restrictions, total war or stay home.
William Sides, Pinellas Park

Instead of a tattoo, why not enlist?

Re: Colors of patriotism, Sept. 24.

You state "many grit teeth and shed blood for tattoos showing love of country." Is this the best these young men and women can do for America? Do they feel that getting patriotic tattoos shows the same support for our country that volunteering to defend it would? Are we supposed to believe the "bravery" required to obtain a tattoo is equal to the courage of veterans who went into battle prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom?

Why don't these young men and women really prove how tough they are? Why don't they enlist?
-- Derry Smith, St. Petersburg

What true heroism means

After reading stories of men and women who have given their lives in service to others such as the emergency workers who willing went into the twin towers while others were fleeing, and those airline passengers who thwarted a fourth attack knowing full well the outcome, or those who continue now to tirelessly search for the lost, I truly understand the meaning of the words "American hero."

I would dare any media representative to ever again call a physically gifted athlete who can run faster, jump higher, hit harder or break a sporting record, a "hero."

The day that happens, is the day we have once again forgotten what true heroism means.
-- Dianne Flannery, St. Petersburg

Let the Taliban feed its own

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