Pubdate: Tue, 12 Sep 2000
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2000 The Washington Post Company
Contact:  1150 15th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20071
Feedback: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Author: Steven Bennett
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1270/a02.html
Note: Headline by MAP editor, appeared as 2nd LTE under "Colombia Plans"

IF AMERICAN-TRAINED TROOPS COMMIT ATROCITIES

On Aug. 30, the day of President Clinton's visit to Colombia, a Post 
editorial ["The Colombia Commitment"] voiced strong support for the $1.3 
billion aid package called Plan Colombia. The endorsement was based upon 
sound logic, until the editor wrote, "The military aid is also conditioned 
on the Colombian forces' human rights performance, and presumably the next 
president will not waive those conditions if American-trained troops commit 
atrocities."

That is a deeply flawed presumption, given that this president waived the 
human rights conditions just one week after government troops ambushed a 
group of schoolchildren on a nature walk, killing six and seriously 
injuring four. And that is just the most recent of a gruesome string of 
atrocities that have occurred at the hands of government forces or their 
allies since Clinton began pushing for aid.

If The Post chooses to endorse Plan Colombia, fair enough. Just don't 
predicate the endorsement on empty human rights rhetoric and false 
presumptions.

Steven Bennett, Syracuse, N.Y.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D