Pubdate: Tue, 29 May 2007 Source: Los Angeles Times (CA) Copyright: 2007 Los Angeles Times Contact: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n639/a03.html Author: Patrick Bonner Re "Colombia may drop anti-drug plan," May 23 If Colombian President Alvaro Uribe wants to cut off his nose to spite his face, so much the better. The proposed free trade agreement between the U.S. and Colombia would destroy the livelihood of family farmers in Colombia. It would benefit wealthy investors in both countries at the expense of working people. The expensive but largely ineffective anti-drug plan consists mainly of aerial spraying of herbicides on rural parts of Colombia. It is a waste of U.S. taxpayers' money and an attack on Colombia's farmers and environment. Therefore, if Uribe rejects the anti-drug plan because Congress rejects the free trade agreement, it will be good news on both counts. Patrick Bonner South Gate - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake