Legislation to Control Terrorism Is Misguided

The passion of the supporters for new 9/11 legislation is real. Their feelings are understandable. But their belief that legislation actually accomplishes what its authors say it will is misguided and dangerous. It is misguided because bills on the wars on drugs, poverty, terrorism, etc., have not solved those problems.

To the contrary, the evidence is that the legislation will cause more problems that will lead to even worse legislation. The bill is also a distraction that prevents any real progress. It is feel-good legislation; it works temporarily, like a drink after a hangover.

New legislation won’t even solve the symptoms, let alone cure the disease. It is a head-in-the-sand mentality. When an alcoholic is in denial, changing the label on his beer is not likely to solve his liver problem. Until Americans look in the mirror and see our foreign policy as the rest of the world sees it, they will never understand why 9/11 occurred. And without knowing the true cause of the disease, it is unlikely that a cure will be forthcoming.

Eric Taylor

Sunland

*

Re the Dec. 7 headline, “Bush Scores Intelligence Bill Victory”: You must be kidding. The title of victor should go to the hard and relentless work of the families of 9/11 victims.

Bush fought the idea of a committee to determine what went wrong leading up to 9/11 until he found the pressure so great he had to give in.

Next he was against following their recommendation of revamping the intelligence community and having a single director. Then he was dead against giving the director budgetary authority until he was forced to give in on that.

Lastly, the families dogged him into asking the Congress to pass the legislation. Why on Earth would you give Bush credit for this? He certainly doesn’t deserve it.

Cyndy Howe

Irvine