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Let's Tear Down Dams by Raymond Bowden Idaho Statesman - July 3, 2005

Two of the most stupid things we've done as a nation are the invasion of Iraq and the building of four dams on the lower Snake River. Both operations are being kept alive with lies.

The attack on Iraq was justified with nonexistent WMDs, continued as a fight against terrorism, then switched to a dream to bring freedom and democracy to people who won't fight for it (like South Vietnam).

The Snake River dams were to make an inland seaport of Lewiston (some joke) without hurting the salmon runs, and to generate electricity. Two coal-fired plants can generate more electricity than all four dams, with no loss to drought.

For more than 10 years, politicians have promoted ideas to save both the salmon and the dams, just stringing everyone along until the salmon and the problem disappear.

In addition to being an important part of the food chain in the Pacific Ocean and thousands of miles of rivers, old-time salmon runs probably provided more food for humans than the relatively few wheat farmers do in the Palouse. Let's face reality and tear the dams out while the salmon can be saved. Thirty years of effort have proved nothing else will work.