We're losing our war on terrorism; it's time to adopt a better strategy

Letter to the Editor,

Using the 911 attack on the Twin Towers in New York City as justification, our government launched wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, established the Department of Homeland Security, created the TSA, passed the Patriot Act and beefed up the NSA.

These actions cost the taxpayers well in excess of $2 trillion, and in the case of the Patriot Act, gave the government the power to ignore the Constitution any time it deems it necessary.

Are the people of our nation so afraid of terrorism they would give up their freedom and their wealth in exchange for safety from this threat?

Apparently so.

Let’s look at the risk factor for climbing Mount Everest: A total of 3,689 have summitted this mountain and 210 have died trying. Mount K2 presents even more risk with 284 successful and 66 who died in the attempt. Mount Annapurna is even more formidable with 142 succeeding vs. 58 who died trying.

This last example means that 200 mountain climbers thought it was worthwhile to summit this mountain with a fatality risk of 29 percent.

The risk of being killed by a terrorist in the United States is roughly .0000133 percent.

When we use a cost- benefit analysis to judge the merits of our reaction to the 911 attack, I believe it qualifies as the greatest military blunder in history and this is before we factor in the cost of the loss of our liberty that resulted.

The reality is that we are losing our war against terrorism, badly. It is time to adopt a better strategy. A good start would be to look at terrorists as the deranged madmen they really are instead of misguided citizens that need coddling, understanding and rehabilitation.

As Al Qaeda is cutting the heads of its enemies, we are reading Miranda Rights to captured terrorists.

Let’s get real.

— Bill Payne

Libby