Afghanistan

Nixon would do himself and the world a huge favor if he took a vow of silence and began keeping his dated, jingoistic ideas to himself.

But no. In his self-ordained role of statesman emeritus and foreign policy oracle, he presumptuously peddles, with the help from the news media. His magic bullet for ending the bloody and tragic 10-year-old civil war in Afghanistan.

Wit no risk of death or injury to himself or his loved ones (isn’t that always the way it goes with pundits?), he airily urges that the U.S. start shipping even better, bigger, and more lethal weapons than we have been to the ragtag, factious moujahedeen guerrillas. If nothing else, this imperialistic act would only prolong a conflict that already has left too much destruction and human suffering in its wake.

As one who abruptly quit his office rather than face impeachment, Nixon would serve his sullied reputation better by rolling up his sleeves and joining another former President in doing something constructive with his idle hours. I’m sure Jimmy Carter could use another helping hand in his Habitat for Humanity hand in his Habitat for Humanity project that builds homes for our country’s disadvantaged.

After pounding nails all day Nixon just might be too tired to beat the war drums. Then we’d all be spared any more of his bellicose, red-batting dogma.

ED MITCHELL

Los Angeles