Pubdate: Fri, 01 Apr 2005
Source: High Point Enterprise (NC)
Copyright: 2005 High Point Enterprise
Contact:  http://www.hpe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/576
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?203 (Terrorism)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/colombia.htm (Colombia)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/mexico

COBLE ENVISIONS ANOTHER PLAN IN FIGHTING DRUGS

Rep. Howard Coble, R-6th District, believes the U.S. may need to take
a slightly different approach in the war on illegal drugs. And he
recently met with officials in Mexico and Panama to begin laying
groundwork for developing possible suggestions for change.

Coble, chairman of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and
Homeland Security, is concerned about the growing connection between
international drug dealers and terrorists. The sale of illegal drugs
is believed to be an increasingly lucrative way for terrorists to
raise money. But he's also concerned that Mexico and Panama have
become international highways for drugs flowing into the U.S.

Clearly, Coble and other members of Congress must direct more
attention to stemming, if not preventing, the flow of illegal drugs
over the Mexican border into the U.S. But Coble realizes that strategy
only addresses part of the problem. He understands that poverty in
Central America stimulates production.

"One of the problems we face is when you go to a farmer in Peru,
Columbia or Bolivia and take away the coca plant," Coble told The High
Point Enterprise. "They are impoverished to begin with and we need to
give them an alternative."

There is the key - an alternative. The coca plant growers need
something they can produce profitably in place of the coca plant.
Perhaps, an economic incentives program could help switch the farmers
from production of the coca plant to other crops, maybe even the food
crops that are needed in order to feed millions throughout some
regions in Central and South America.

Coble doesn't have details yet of a plan to try to get coca plant
farmers into production of other crops. But he does intend to get
working on those details soon. That's good because he is on the right
track with this idea.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin