Helping Afghan People While Fighting the War

Re “U.S., Allies at Odds Over Aid Strategy,” Nov. 29: It’s unacceptable and immoral for the Bush administration to ignore our allies such as England, France and Germany that wish to provide immediate humanitarian relief to starving Afghans. A full 7 million Afghans face starvation and death unless food and medical supplies are immediately distributed to them, yet the Bush administration fears that the humanitarian relief efforts may hinder the combat objectives.

Approximately 4,000 American lives were lost on Sept. 11. Yet tragic and terrible as the loss of life for those innocent civilians is, the death toll for hungry and sick Afghans may equal 1,750 times that loss of life in the coming winter.

Let us not blindly pursue our foes at all costs, because if we allow this tragedy to happen in Afghanistan, then our war is meaningless, America stands for nothing and we will have forsaken God and everything that he stands for. We must initiate the immediate humanitarian relief in Afghanistan.

Daniel Martinez

Oxnard