Spying on Venezuela is a waste

To the editor:

The Associated Press has reported that the United States has created a "mission manager" to collect information on Venezuela. Is this really a strategic use of our intelligence resources? Venezuela is a democracy with free and fair elections and widespread voter participation. President Hugo Chavez is widely popular at home and is expected to win a second term when Venezuelans head to the polls this December.

At a time when we purport to encourage the spread of democracy around the world, an anti-Venezuela spy desk threatens to do just the opposite, undermining the will of the Venezuelan electorate.

The United States faces many international threats, and I think we are wasting valuable money and resources spying on a friend and undermining a neighboring democracy.

The Bush administration must break out of its Cold War mind frame and pursue a sane foreign policy toward Venezuela.

EMMA FRANKLIN, Cape Girardeau