Pubdate: Mon, 28 Aug 2000 Source: New York Daily News (NY) Copyright: 2000 Daily News, L.P. Contact: 450 W. 33rd St., New York, N.Y. 10001 Website: http://www.nydailynews.com/ Forum: http://www.nydailynews.com/manual/news/e_the_people/e_the_people.htm Author: Kenneth R. Bazinet BILL TO VISIT COLOMBIA AMID AID DEBATE WASHINGTON-There's no rest for President Clinton this week as he makes a high-stakes visit to Colombia after a hastily scheduled visit to Cairo tonight and tomorrow to discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace prospects. Clinton is visiting Colombia on Wednesday after deciding to fork over $1.3 billion in U.S. aid to help battle the country's notorious cocaine cartels. The U.S. infusion of taxpayer cash has been compared with the early days of Vietnam, putting the administration on the defensive over costs, manpower and political dangers of battling drugs in the Colombian jungles. "It will not become, turn into or look like a Vietnam," said Thomas Pickering, undersecretary of state for political affairs, ahead of Clinton's visit. There were scattered weekend protests, including U.S. flag-burnings, according to news reports. "The Vietnamization of South America is the story of the day in Latin America," said Bronx-born Al Giordano, publisher of the Latin America-based NarcoNews.com, which covers drug policy. Clinton's "Plan Colombia" — with backing from Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert — has a $7.5 billion price tag. Colombian President Andres Pastrana's government is to fund the balance. The plan includes deploying U.S. military advisers to train Colombian forces and delivering 18 Black Hawk helicopters and 42 Huey 2 helicopters. To free up the $1.3 billion already approved by Congress, Clinton had to waive Colombia's record of human rights violations, which angered some Democrats. "The administration has put us in a Catch-22 position," said Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.). "They ... promised real reforms to protect human rights in order to get more than a billion dollars in taxpayer funds. Then when they get the money, they say they cannot meet the conditions." Four decades of civil war between the Colombian government and rebel forces, believed to number 20,000, has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides, as well as innocent men, women and children. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck