Letter: Hit Afghanistan in its wallet

Friday, Sept. 21, 2001 | 5:18 a.m.

Afghanistan is emerging as a major culprit in the recent heinous attacks on the United States. If a decision is made to declare Afghanistan a target of retribution, an economic rather than a military campaign might be more effective.

As a former U.S. Army Ranger and Vietnam veteran I know, and Russia learned a decade ago, military efforts against a determined but scattered enemy are likely to be extremely difficult.

The economy of Afghanistan may be a more productive target. Afghanistan imports about three times what it exports in legal commodities because it has little that the world would want. There is only one lucrative source of income for the country.

Afghanistan is second only to Burma as a source of opium and is also a major supplier of hashish to world markets. An effective strategy against Afghanistan may be to greatly expand a worldwide war on drug dealers.

A combination of military and economic strategies is certainly worth discussing.

WALLACE J. HENKELMAN