Pubdate: Tue, 05 Sep 2000
Source: Tulsa World (OK)
Copyright: 2000 World Publishing Co.
Contact:  P.O. Box 1770, Tulsa, OK 74102
Website: http://www.tulsaworld.com/

DRUG WARS

Colombia Aid Plan Misguided

The lines are fuzzy in the Colombia drug war. The administration of
President Andres Pastrana needs support -- financial and political --
from the United States, but under the current aid package, that
support is misguided.

Pastrana is fighting a civil war with Marxist guerrillas who are
closely tied to the drug traffickers in Colombia and control almost
half of the country. It is difficult to fight one without fighting the
other. But the United States should make it clear to Pastrana and his
security forces that the $1.3 billion in aid is for fighting the drug
trade, not the guerrillas.

But, again, the lines are fuzzy. The aid package contains 60 military
helicopters and training for an anti-narcotics brigade. It will be all
but impossible to guarantee that those helicopters and those troops
will be used only against drug traffickers.

There are useful parts of the package including money for human rights
training, judicial reform and a program to offer alter natives to
farmers who now cultivate drugs.

But it will be difficult to change the habits of poor Colombian
farmers who can make far more money cultivating coca plants than they
can growing corn. And as many farms as government troops destroy, that
many more will pop up elsewhere.

Of course, the only way to fight the drug traffickers abroad is to
change the habits of Americans. The United States is a leading user of
illegal drugs. Until consumption is reduced here no amount of aid or
troops or military equipment will stop the production of illegal drugs.

It is a simple economic law. American drug users want the cocaine and
heroin and someone, somewhere will supply it.

The United States should offer help to any country struggling with
democracy and fighting to preserve it. But the aid to Colombia,
although well-meaning, seems a bit misdirected.
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