Letter: Linking tsunami, global warming is ridiculous

Friday, Feb. 4, 2005 | 9:12 a.m.

Dire predictions about global warming are more about politics than science. Renewed evidence for that conclusion is seen in the flood of ridiculous claims made in the wake of the South Asia tsunami disaster. That immense tragedy resulted from a severe earthquake deep in the Indian Ocean. Earthquakes are caused by shifts in the Earth's substrata, not by unproven global warming.

But officials at Greenpeace, the Friends of the Earth, the Discovery Channel and elsewhere have insisted that the recent Asian catastrophe resulted from industrialization and economic growth that has heated up the atmosphere. Because of a steady stream of such irresponsible claims, politicians continue to seek enforcement of the Kyoto protocol targeting economic activity in developed nations, especially in the United States.

Acceptance of the Kyoto demands would cause a tsunami of destruction to free enterprise and national independence. President Bush and all members of Congress should be urged to reject any acceptance of cutbacks on economic activity designed to counter the threat of nonexistent global warming.

MARILYN HILBORN