Drilling in Afghanistan

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/opinion/30friedman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=drilling-in-afghanistan&st=cse&oref=slogin- Hide quoted text -

---------- Forwarded message ----------From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>Date: Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 9:56 AMSubject: Drilling in AfghanistanTo: letters@nytimes.com

To the Editor: Mr. Friedman blithely treats all of the Muslim world as if it were a monolithic problem. He knows better. Our burning problem is not with the states of the Muslim world, but with the non-state actors who flourish in the failed states. While the Saudi monarch is organizing peace conferences to enhance inter-faith understanding and cooperation, international terrorist organizations are flourishing in Afghanistan and Lebanon. To lump all of these together as "one war" is dishonest and unhelpful. Six years ago, Iraq was a functioning state. Now it is a battleground for sectarian factions, held in check only by the U.S. occupying forces. If we are to prevail over the international terrorists, we should take care to provide fewer centers for their recruitment and training, rather than more.Barry Levine1142 Brown AveLafayette, CA 94549