Letter: President has not done enough to enhance security

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004 | 9:02 a.m.

In 2002 George W. Bush ordered our military to build the first phase of an ICBM missile defense system. Then, as now, this system is unproven and unreliable. During testing, these interceptor missiles missed on three of eight attempts.

So far, $25 billion has been spent for only 20 of these missiles. Is this sound science or yet another boondoggle like the Army's Patriot missile system?

This newest missile system is projected to cost $1 trillion if fully implemented. Forget about it, at least for now. As during the Cold War, we must continue to rely upon MAD (mutually assured destruction), covert operations and diplomacy to defend ourselves.

John Kerry was right to downplay, but not eliminate, the need for Star Wars-like systems by placing more emphasis on current homeland protection from terrorists. In 2002, did George Bush order that all cargo vessels and the thousands of cargo containers arriving here daily be inspected? No, only 1 percent of the cargo containers are inspected today.

What has President Bush actually done about the threat of suicide bombers attacking us at here home? Does anyone feel safe now that some Las Vegas hotels are inspecting car trunks before you enter their parking lots? Who's checking, before they arrive, all the cabs, vans, SUVs, limos and buses that are continually loading and unloading directly in front of every hotel in Vegas? Are we really safer now than we were three years ago?

RICHARD RYCHTARIK