BERNARD ARONSON

The most damning indictment of the United States in Central America is that we have allowed the sterile voices of Marxism-Leninism to claim falsely the mantle of economic justice and hope for ordinary people when it should be carried by the heirs of Thomas Jefferson.

Until we do something about demand, Latin America will never be able to solve the drug problem on its own.

The American people are not fools. They will sense it even if they cannot articulate it precisely when a candidate or party appears to be placing its political bets on continued bad news for the nation. And they will never forgive such a candidate or party.

The most damning indictment of the United States in Central America is that we have allowed the sterile voices of Marxism-Leninism to claim falsely the mantle of economic justice and hope for ordinary people when it should be carried by the heirs of Thomas Jefferson.

The American people are not fools. They will sense it even if they cannot articulate it precisely when a candidate or party appears to be placing its political bets on continued bad news for the nation. And they will never forgive such a candidate or party.

Until we do something about demand, Latin America will never be able to solve the drug problem on its own.