Ounce of diplomacy worth pound of force

Hooray for the editorial "Dollars for Diplomacy," May 26. Our foreign-aid program ought not to be savaged, thereby undercutting diplomacy and placing more reliance on military solutions. The public would opt for a more sensible approach. A poll by the Program on International Policy Attitudes of the University of Maryland indicated that respondents thought that foreign aid ought to be 5 percent of the federal budget rather than the current figure of 1 percent.

The public remains sadly misinformed about the relative size of both foreign aid and our military budget, thinking that the former consumes the lion's share of the federal budget while blissfully unaware that our bloated and wasteful defense spending eats up half of discretionary spending. This veteran wants a mean, lean defense posture; more funds for foreign aid; and an upgraded, strengthened United Nations as alternatives to our nation becoming the reluctant policeman of the world.

Eric Cox Washington Executive Director Campaign for UN Reform