Pubdate: Tue, 24 Apr 2001
Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)
Copyright: 2001 Chicago Tribune Company
Contact:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82

A FOOL'S ERRAND IN LATIN AMERICA

The events surrounding the tragic downing of a missionary plane over Peru 
last week were under review Monday by U.S. and Peruvian authorities 
involved in the incident. But one overwhelming picture is already clear. 
Given U.S.-led counternarcotics strategy in the region since 
1994--including U.S.-Peruvian cooperative missions to halt cocaine 
trafficking by air--this kind of tragedy was bound to happen.

The deaths of American Baptist missionary Veronica Bowers, 35, and her 
7-month-old daughter Charity are unconscionable. That CIA-hired operatives 
aboard a surveillance plane misidentified their small Cessna aircraft as a 
possible drug-smuggling flight was bad enough. The fact the CIA operatives 
tried to persuade a Peruvian fighter jet to make a positive identification 
before shooting at the missionary plane is small comfort. A mother and 
child are dead.

Wherever the culpability lies in this incident, the larger issue is whether 
the U.S. strategy to use military interdiction in Peru, Colombia and other 
Andean nations--while demand for cocaine still flourishs in 
America--amounts to a fool's errand. The question is whether the U.S. is 
being slowly sucked into local armed conflicts by concentrating on military 
efforts against drugs.

President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld came into office 
talking wisely about the need to curb demand in the U.S. rather than to 
wage feckless war on foreign drug traffickers. The Bush administration, 
though, has yet to pull back from such risky policies.

The U.S. is still pursuing its $1.3 billion Plan Colombia, a two-year 
military effort to eradicate cocaine production while cracking down on 
rebels using drugs to finance their war on the government. Congress is 
considering an administration request for an additional $700 million for 
next year for the Andean region, including $400 million to Colombia and the 
remainder to other nations, including Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.

The Peruvian Air Force has shot down, forced down or strafed more than 30 
aircraft since March 1995, while seizing a dozen more on the ground. The 
Peru incident should set off alarms in the Bush administration about what 
could eventually happen in Colombia as the U.S. becomes more involved with 
intelligence and logistical support for nations using their armies to crack 
down on drug traffickers.

Bush has suspended American flights in support of Peru's drug interdiction 
efforts while the investigation continues. This is an opportunity to 
rethink the whole strategy. Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori has fled 
the country and new presidential elections will be held soon pitting 
Alejandro Toledo, the front-runner, against former Peruvian President Alan 
Garcia, who recently returned from voluntary exile and is gaining quickly 
in the polls.

As president, Garcia confronted the U.S. on economic policy while quietly 
collaborating on anti-drug programs. He presided over hyperinflation, made 
a failed attempt to nationalize banks and unilaterally limited debt payments.

Now he may become the Bush administration's new best friend in the fight 
against drugs.

Mr. President, there's one more reason to rethink counternarcotics strategy.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart