Money Talks

Re “U.S. Says No to Turks’ Demand for More Aid,” Feb. 19: As we negotiate with Turkish officials about how much we need to pay them to allow us to use their country as a base of operations for war against Iraq, I am struck by the similarity of how political decisions are worked out in this country. Constituencies want results? They have to pay for them. So, whoever pays the most gets the most favorable result. I guess it works that way internationally too; it’s the free market at work. From the most humble financial transaction between a prostitute and her john to grand national alliances, it’s all about the money.

Ken Edwards

Santa Barbara