Pubdate: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL) Copyright: 2003 St. Petersburg Times Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419 POTENTIAL FOR TRAGEDY After a two-year break, sparked by the reckless killing of an American missionary and her infant daughter, the U.S. government has resumed its support for Colombia's policy of shooting down suspected drug planes. The barbarity of conspiring with foreign military officers to act as judge, jury and executioner is as indefensible now - legally, morally and practically - as it was when Peru, with U.S. assistance, shot Veronica Bowers and her 7-month-old daughter, Charity, from the sky. Americans would never tolerate such use of deadly force on the U.S. border. That proxy pilots in allied uniform actually pull the trigger does not erase the fingerprint of American complicity. Colombia and Peru defend the practice as necessary to stanch the global trafficking in illegal drugs, a position the United States supports. But the Bush administration was embarrassed by the language problems and command mistakes that caused the Bowers' plane to be misidentified, and subsequently downed. The practice was suspended while U.S. officials pressed for tighter engagement procedures. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced recently the United States would support a resumption of the downing policy, now that Colombia adopted what the White House called "appropriate" safeguards to protect innocent life. This is not a guarantee America can make. Language barriers between foreign military officers and U.S. air support staff, flawed intelligence and chain-of-command breakdowns will always raise the potential for tragedy. Foreign commanders may ignore any U.S. pleadings for restraint. Enabling our allies to summarily down planes not only contradicts the principle of American justice, but it also undercuts the United States' broader effort to foster respect for democratic values abroad. Clearly, the traffickers' use of small planes challenges international law enforcement. The United States has a national security interest in helping Colombia, Peru and other nations halt the production and shipment of drugs. But this intelligence and interdiction effort needs to meet acceptable standards. Following drug-carrying planes, disrupting supply routes, seizing assets of convicted traffickers, expanding intelligence and undercover operations - these are legitimate forms of American antidrug assistance. Cracking down on military and government officers in friendly Latin American states who engage in trafficking also would help. The point of our presence should be to bolster the rule of law. - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)