Pubdate: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL) Copyright: 2003 The Sun-Times Co. Contact: http://www.suntimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81 Author: Dollie I. Boyd WHAT ABOUT WAR ON DRUGS? What troubles me most about President Bush's fierce determination to go to war with Iraq is his failure to complete missions in other key areas. No, I'm not referring to Afghanistan or Osama bin Laden, but the war against drugs being fought on our own home front everyday. Now here's a war that's been allowed to continue under our very noses 24 hours a day seven days a week. And guess what? We're losing it! Drugs are a deadly enemy that we've failed to stop from invading our country despite the fact that it has long been responsible for much of the crime. Our streets are a war zone riddled with violence and destruction, where many people are being ambushed every day into using drugs, selling drugs or committing drug-related travesties. Crack babies emerge from the womb crippled with the disease of this horrible war. Schools face massive confrontation by this staunch opponent, and families are being torn apart in the conflict. The effects of drug abuse wreak havoc of unimaginable proportions on the minds and bodies of the victims who have fallen prey to its sabotage. Its explosive presence has snuffed out the lives of countless Americans, many of whom suffered slow deaths. Talk about the ravages of war! If a mere fraction of the billions being spent to thwart a "possible threat" overseas could be allotted to battle the raging reality on our own doorsteps, perhaps we'd have a fighting chance. Dollie I. Boyd, Loop - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake