‘Humanitarian’

I write to protest the grotesque use of the word humanitarian in The Times story (Aug. 1), “Congress Votes Humanitarian Aid to Contras.” This aid is to provide logistical support for an army in the field, which will enable them to widen their war against the Sandinista government, and will certainly result in a great increase in killing in Nicaragua.

Call aid to the contras “non-lethal” if you like, although its purposes are certainly lethal enough. But please spare your readers the Reagan Newspeak humanitarian.

EDWARD PAYNTER

San Diego