Pubdate: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 Source: The Monitor (TX) Copyright: 2002 The Monitor Contact: http://www.themonitor.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1250 Author: Stephen Heath, Drug Policy Forum of Florida Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n473/a11.html PLAN COLOMBIA REMAINS FLAWED To the editor: Re: Colombia Just Says No (March 15): Thanks for the astute commentary. For over a year now the Bush administration has been bombarded with criticism about Plan Colombia, which funnels billions of American tax dollars to the Colombian civil war. As we pass the anniversary of the plan's implementation, the CIA reports that cocaine production in Colombia has actually increased compared to last year at this time. Faced with this stark indictment of the flawed plan, President Bush is now attempting to re-spin the war as a "terrorist action," in desperate hopes of continuing taxpayer funding of these efforts. What should we expect then? Will we be carpet bombing Colombia until we "smoke out" the last remaining drug lord? Most Americans support tax dollars directed to helping real drug abusers have access to treatment on demand. But regardless of how many hectares of Colombia we poison with chemical bombing, and no matter how many Colombians or other South Americans we kill with our military hardware and troop support, not a single drug addict in America is any closer to recovery. It's time to tell Congress, "NO!" with regard to continued funding of the Colombian civil war, and "YES" to funding of drug treatment on demand for those truly in need. Stephen Heath, Drug Policy Forum of Florida Clearwater, Fla. - --- MAP posted-by: Alex