To the editor:
Congress and the next administration will have some difficult decisions to make about how to use the resources of our nation. I continue to be disturbed by a remark I heard recently, to the effect that we have more people in military bands today than in professional diplomatic service. As a former drummer in a military band, I appreciate the value of music to encourage action. But I much more appreciate the value of well educated and carefully placed personnel in embassies around the world representing our people to the peoples of the world.
Nearly a decade ago the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict pointed out that the world community could have saved $130 billion by taking a preventative approach to conflicts in the 1990s rather than relying on 11th hour military interventions.
In this new millennium, we can save billions of dollars, strengthen national security and make the world a safer place by investing in early prevention of deadly conflict rather than military reaction. Let's use our resources to prevent conflict with diplomacy, rather than to react to conflict with more violence.
MICHAEL SHIRLEY
Lawrence
