cannabisnews.com: U.S. Asks $1.6 Billion for Colombian Drug War





U.S. Asks $1.6 Billion for Colombian Drug War
Posted by FoM on January 11, 2000 at 17:21:05 PT
By Reuters
Source: New York Times
President Clinton on Tuesday called for a deeper U.S. involvement in Colombia's war against drugs, proposing a $1.6 billion aid package to counter what officials called rapidly expanding drug production there. Clinton said in a written statement the aid was ``urgently needed'' to keep illegal drugs out of the United States. U.S. officials believe four-fifths of the cocaine entering the United States either comes from Colombia or is transported through it. 
The $1.6 billion package, spread over this year and next year, is designed to help the Colombian government push into the coca-growing regions of southern Colombia, which are now dominated by guerrillas. The package reflected a major intervention by the United States into Colombia, made in response to a request by Colombian President Andres Pastrana for foreign assistance. Current U.S. assistance is about $150 million a year. About $600 million over the next two years would help train two special Colombian counternarcotics battalions, purchase 30 Blackhawk and 33 Huey helicopters, and provide other support. It would also pay for setting up a new air base in Ecuador near the border with Colombia to put up radar for detecting drug flights for the Colombians to intercept and possibly for American intelligence flights, Pentagon officials said. ``We have a compelling national interest in reducing the flow of cocaine and heroin to our shores, and in promoting peace, democracy and economic growth in Colombia and the region,'' Clinton said. The money would also help Colombia upgrade its intelligence gathering, increase coca crop eradication, promote alternative crops and jobs, and increase protection of human rights and reform the judicial system. Senior U.S. officials insisted the United States was sticking to the goal of countering the ballooning narcotics trade and not targeting insurgents of Colombia's largest Marxist rebel force, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). ``This is not a counterinsurgency program. This is a counternarco-trafficking program,'' said Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who announced the new package at the White House by saying Pastrana ``deserves our support.'' Senior officials said 100 to 200 American military trainers are in Colombia on any given day and that the new package would not require a dramatic increase. ``I don't anticipate any major change to that in the foreseeable future,'' said one official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity. But officials made clear that where there are illegal drugs, there are usually insurgents in Colombia. Barry McCaffrey, the retired Army general who heads the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, portrayed the problem in grim terms, saying one-third of the land area in Colombia's far south is under coca cultivation, a lawless land essentially controlled by FARC insurgents. The insurgents are ``heavily armed with live machine guns, helicopters, light aircraft and wire-tapping equipment, and they'll fight,'' McCaffrey said. In Bogota, Pastrana, who has committed $4 billion in Colombia money to the anti-drug plan, said Colombians should feel ``very satisfied .'' ``This announcement is the first step of the utmost importance to stepping up the fight (against drugs) but the aid will only become reality once it is approved by Congress.'' Pastrana said at an afternoon news conference in the presidential palace. The first reaction from the Republican-led Congress in Washington was favorable. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, welcomed the announcement. ``While I have been critical in the past of the administration's efforts and policies toward Colombia's growing problems, I believe the president is beginning to respond in good faith to our concerns,'' Hastert said in a statement. But Amnesty International, a human rights organization, said it opposed the program because of what it called extensive links between the Colombian army and paramilitary groups. ``As long as Colombian paramilitary groups allied with the Colombian army continue to commit massacres and other serious human rights violations, U.S. military aid to Colombia is tantamount to underwriting the Colombian 'dirty war,''' said Carlos Salinas, the group's advocacy director for Latin America and the Caribbean. Albright said the United States would ensure that U.S. aid does not go to military units that have been implicated in abuses. Published: January 11, 2000Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company Related Articles: Clinton To Unveil Aid Package For Colombia - 1/10/2000http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4251.shtmlU.S. to Give Colombia $1 Billion to Fight Drugs - 1/07/2000http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4219.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by legalizeit on January 11, 2000 at 19:17:27 PT
Another utter waste of taxpayer $$$
Here stupid Uncle Sam goes again, involving himself in another international situation that it has no business being in. Has Clinton not learned anything from overseas failures such as Haiti, Bosnia, or Iraq?It is beyond any sense of reason that the US would dump billions to wage war on the war it created by creating the Drug War.(Doesn't make sense? Does anything connected with drug policy make sense?)>But officials made clear that where there are illegal drugs, there are usually insurgents in Colombia. Another reason drugs should not be illegal.>``While I have been critical in the past of the administration's efforts and policies toward Colombia's growing problems, I believe the president is beginning to respond in good faith to our concerns,'' Hastert said in a statement. Citizens of Illinois, elections are coming up. Do our country a favor and VOTE THIS PINHEAD OUT OF OFFICE!!!>promoting peace, democracy and economic growth in Colombia and the region,'' Clinton said.Legalize drugs, Mr. President, and see how quickly that goal can be realized.
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