U.S. Response to Mideast Terrorism

Since it is painfully obvious that our national leaders cannot or will not take effective measures to free Americans held captives by terrorists nor to protect kidnapings of more Americans, the alternative is to prohibit any of our people from entering those countries that pose great dangers to them.

That prohibition should be put into effect immediately. It should apply to all American tourists, business representatives, public officials and even military forces unless they are there on specific missions. There should be no more military personnel, such as Higgins, attached to so-called United Nations peace forces.

All State Department ambassadors and staff should be withdrawn.

Such a program will be called a retreat, a surrender to terrorists, but it definitely would save lives and save our country from the humiliating and embarrassing position of doing nothing about our citizens who are kidnaped and murdered.

President Bush is reported in the media as considering a number of alternatives that are being debated by his top advisers. The final responsibility is his on what to do about the admitted dilemma. One positive action that he can initiate immediately is outlined in the above suggestions, in contrast to the hand-wringing and verbal deploring statements that so far are the only official responses to the brutal, inhuman tactics of terrorists.

ROBERT LEE

Newport Beach