Mideast Hijacking

When Harlan K. Ullman’s article (Editorial Pages, June 20) “As Terrorism Continues, What Can We Do?” observes that we are vulnerable to terrorist hijackers, I agree that we certainly have been in the past. When he recommends “covert operations, (and) preemptive strikes” against suspected terrorists as the proper and only actions, not only is he deficient in suggesting suitable recourses, but that which is proposed is antithetical to values America holds dear.

There are many effective measures that we can take to greatly reduce the incidence of hijacking. A few of these are: (1) to require the stringent enforcement of security measures and inspections at all airports over the world, (2) to penalize, by mandatory severance of all U.S.-controlled air traffic to and from such airports, those who do not comply, (3) by the placement of two trained, armed marshals aboard every one of our overseas flights, and (4) by campaigning in the international arena, including the United Nations, to induce all civilized nations to follow our example.

There is little to quarrel with our need for more and better intelligence information in foreign lands when it comes to terrorism or even to interests inimical to our own. But the application of covert operations and strikes by United States agents against citizens of foreign countries in their own land in order to preempt terrorists would earn us the undying hatred of the entire world.

BERNARD BERKOWITZ

San Diego