Pubdate: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 Source: Kansas City Star (MO) Copyright: 2000 The Kansas City Star Contact: 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108 Feedback: http://www.kansascity.com/Discussion/ Website: http://www.kcstar.com/ Author: Richard Marks UNWINNABLE WARS Reading Saturday's article about Independence Avenue's prostitution problems (2/12, A-1) made me wonder how much money has been spent prosecuting America's costly wars on drugs and prostitution. Am I the only person who sees the insanity of spending billions of dollars to put a halt to these victimless crimes? If consenting adults want to engage in this type of activity, why should I care? I can tell you why I care that the state fights these unwinnable wars. To fight the war on drugs, our military is now being used in foreign countries to spray plants, spy, conduct undercover operations, etc. Is this what our military is designed to do? And the hypocrisy! How many people are in prison due to an arrest by a cop, to enforce a law voted on by a politician, prosecuted by a government attorney, presided over by a judge, all of whom have smoked marijuana in their lifetime? (Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, anybody?) The true crimes in the war on drugs are being perpetrated by the state. The violence associated with the war on drugs would vanish overnight with the complete legalization of all drugs. When was the last time you saw Budweiser do a drive-by shooting of Coors? - --- MAP posted-by: Greg