Pubdate: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 Source: State, The (SC) Copyright: 2005 The State Contact: http://www.thestate.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/426 Author: Cassandra Fralix BUSH SHOULD END FAILED COLOMBIA PLAN A failed Clinton experiment in Colombia, the Colombia Plan, should not be continued under President Bush. The president visited Colombia in November to discuss further funding of counter-narcotics efforts. One such effort, the aerial fumigation of coca (which is used to make cocaine), is harming innocent civilians and destroying the land and water. Why are we continuing to support a policy that doesn't work? Even when we manage to successfully reduce coca cultivation in one country, it moves to another country. The $3 billion or more in taxpayer funds will be going to fund activities that are inhumane to innocent farmers and to prop up an abusive military. Colombia is a very conflicted country, and the problems are exacerbated by the infusion of American money. We do not need to put more money in a failed program, especially during a time when our country is running a huge budget deficit. Cassandra Fralix Columbia - --- MAP posted-by: Beth