Pubdate: Fri, 29 Mar 2002
Source: New London Day (CT)
Copyright: 2002 The Day Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.newlondonday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/293
Author: The Miami Herald
Note: The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on March 26.

INCREASED TRADE COMBATS DRUG-TRAFFICKING

Think of President Bush's four-day trip to Latin America last weekend as 
the first half of a two-part challenge. Part One was an unqualified 
success: Bush visited the area and spelled out his vision for Latin 
American prosperity.

Part Two will be more difficult: Persuading a recalcitrant Congress, 
specifically the Democratic-majority Senate, to approve the 
administration's proposals for boosting trade with Latin America.

President Bush's vision for the region isn't new or novel. However, it can 
be a balm to Latin America's woes, which have been worsened in some areas 
by drug trafficking, continuing poverty, government corruption, political 
unrest and natural disasters.

The president believes that increased aid should be linked to political, 
economic and social reforms. On his brief tour, Bush pitched the gospel of 
prosperity and democracy as an antidote to drug trafficking, terrorism and 
instability that plague some Latin American nations.

At the United Nations summit in Mexico, Bush promised to increase aid to 
the world's poor by 50 percent, to $15 billion annually from $10 billion in 
accordance with recipient countries' willingness to tackle corruption, 
reform their economies, engage democratic practices and help their own 
people. And in talks with President Vicente Fox of Mexico, Bush discussed 
plans for improved border security, private investments by U.S. firms and 
an overhaul of U.S. immigration policy to allow for a more orderly flow of 
Mexican immigrants into this country.

The next step for Bush is to persuade Senate Democrats to approve 
legislation that would allow for a Free Trade Area of the Americas and 
extend U.S. trade preferences for Andean countries. Free trade and the 
trade-preference legislation has been approved by the House, but are 
stalled in the Senate, where Democrats have a one-vote majority. President 
Bush was persuasive in Latin America. We wish him well as he now tries 
those charms on the Senate.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager