Port inspections

Re “Safe harbors,” editorial, Dec. 17

This editorial did not come close to addressing the real danger. I have felt for some time that shipping containers, which come into our ports by the thousands, could be the surreptitious delivery system of the future. These shipping containers could contain weapons (detonated by devices no more sophisticated than a cellphone) so catastrophically deadly that 9/11 and Hiroshima would be seen as Sunday picnics in comparison. Ships should be inspected at least 90 miles out from our ports. If this requires tripling or quadrupling our Coast Guard, so be it. If we cannot do this, I don’t think we can protect our shores and people.

Tom Powell

Yucaipa