Ratify treaty on land mines

Re “Land mine victim labors to walk again,” Jan. 21

It seems only fair that Afghan Mohammed Malek was brought to the United States for medical care, because the land mines that took off his legs were planted by the Soviets in response to policies of our own government. Six months before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter authorized secret aid to opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. The purpose was to provoke an invasion that would tie down the Soviet army.

Nearly 2 million Afghan casualties later, the Soviets admitted defeat. They had lost 15,000 soldiers. But as we now know, events in Afghanistan continued to develop, leading to the massive blowback of 9/11.

I think the U.S. has a greater moral obligation to Malek and his peers than charity for one wounded young man. At the very least, our government should sign on to the international treaty banning the use, production, trade and stockpiling of antipersonnel mines. More than 10 years after the treaty was first presented, the U.S. refuses to join 150 nations that have ratified it.

Sarah S. Forth

Los Angeles