Pubdate: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 Source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times (TX) Copyright: 2001 Corpus Christi Caller-Times Contact: http://www.caller.com/commcentral/email_ed.htm Website: http://www.caller.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/872 UNITED STATES, PERU TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF TRAGEDY Downing Of Missionaries' Plane Underlines Potential Costs Of U.s. Involvement The United States and Peru are still trying to sort out the facts regarding the tragic incident last week in which a Peruvian fighter jet shot down an aircraft carrying U.S. missionaries. The attack resulted in the deaths of a 35-year-old American woman and her 7-month-old daughter. The Peruvian pilot apparently acted on the mistaken belief that the pontoon plane was involved in the drug trade. To date, the Peruvian military continues to insist that the pilot of the light aircraft had not filed a proper flight plan, and that he did not respond to attempts to establish contact. However, Americans aboard a U.S. surveillance aircraft that monitored the drama suggest the Peruvian pilot acted precipitously, ignoring carefully crafted rules of engagement. The survivors from the missionary plane support that interpretation. Undeniably, there is a reason why Peruvians and American are patrolling the skies over Peru: These missions have hurt drug smugglers' efforts to move their illicit goods. This incident, however, reminds that we must count the cost - especially as we move ever closer to heavy involvement in neighboring Colombia's drug war. The drug trade takes a terrible toll, but so, too, may American involvement in foreign theaters under conditions we understand imperfectly, if at all. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth