Apprehension of Terrorists

Your editorial (Oct. 13), “A Moment to Savor,” spoke most eloquently of the frustrations of an honorable people living in what increasingly seems a dishonorable world, but one must look beyond the immediate gratification of our nation’s renewed pride and relief at successfully intercepting the terrorists who commandeered the Achille Lauro and killed an innocent American citizen.

For every action there is a reaction. For now the counterhijack by our Navy jets has worked, but what happens next time if a terrorist, willing to sacrifice his life for his cause, calls our bluff and threatens to kill the pilot when our jets fire their warning shots? Will our jets shoot down an airplane of another country killing the terrorists as well as many innocent passengers and crew? At that moment, will we not become like those who shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007?

Once our bluff is called this is a strategy doomed to failure.

MICHAEL LaNONE

Whittier