Pubdate: Sat, 08 Sep 2001
Source: Northwest Florida Daily News (FL)
Copyright: 2001 Northwest Florida Daily News
Contact:  http://www.nwfdailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/313

SPRAYING POISON

Maybe we should take it all back. We have criticized Plan Colombia, the 
Clinton administration program of military aid to Colombia, purportedly to 
fight against narco-traffickers, which the Bush administration has 
foolishly expanded into the grandiose Andean Initiative.

However, the harsh public reaction in Colombia against a U.S.- sponsored 
herbicide spraying program is causing "mainstream opinion makers and 
high-powered Colombian politicians," including former President Ernesto 
Samper, to question openly the very idea of the drug war and to talk about 
legalization.

It's a pity that officials in any government seem willing to entertain 
common sense only when enforcement is taken to its harsh but logical 
extremes. But if that's what it takes ...
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom