Source: Dallas Morning News Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com Pubdate: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 Author: David LaGesse The Dallas Morning News U.S. TO BOOST AID TO COLOMBIA DRUG BATTLE Republicans say administration has resisted helping nation in past WASHINGTON - Clinton administration officials said they will significantly boost aid to Colombia's drug fight, including asking Congress for at least 40 percent more in funding. "We cannot cede any ground to the narco-traffickers," said Randy Beers, acting head of the State Department's counternarcotics section. "We need to increase our operational tempo in Colombia." Appearing before the House International Relations Committee, administration officials said they were responding to the growing strength of Colombia's traffickers, who increasingly ally themselves with revolutionary guerrilla groups. The insurgents have become more brazen in recent months, ambushing an elite corps of Colombia's military and attacking civilians - including the kidnapping last month of several more Americans. Colombia's government now ranks as the most threatened in Latin America, said Gen. Charles Wilhelm, commander of U.S. troops in the region. "The current tactical situation is bleak," he told the panel. The officials didn't detail their plans but said the added money will help expand air and surface interdiction efforts, increase the destruction of coca and poppy fields and strengthen law-enforcement and judicial reforms. But congressional Republicans accused the administration of responding too slowly to Colombia's problems. The House committee has tried in vain for nearly two years to force the State Department to transfer helicopters and guns to Colombia's national police, said Committee Chairman Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y. "We couldn't fathom what the resistance was," he said. Part of the resistance stemmed from the opposition of human rights groups. They fear that the equipment will be used by Colombian military units that are notorious for human rights violations. The administration also remains suspicious of the anti-drug commitment of Colombia's central government. U.S. officials have criticized Colombian President Ernesto Samper for alleged connections to drug traffickers. That led President Clinton to rate Colombia a noncooperative ally in the drug fight, which cut some forms of aid for two years. The decision wasn't supposed to affect counterdrug aid but complicated the transfer of some assets, officials said. Mr. Clinton again rated Colombia an uncooperative partner this year but waived the restrictions on aid because of concerns about its growing insurgency. Mr. Gilman and other Republicans welcomed what they said was an apparent change in administration attitude. They questioned, however, whether the White House would follow through. "Your program sounds ambitious," Mr. Gilman told the administration officials. "I hope you'll back that up with significant resources." Mr. Beers said the White House soon would ask Congress for at least another $21 million in aid for Colombia for the coming year. That would join $30 million already requested by the State Department for programs in Colombia. The department also provides about $30 million from other funds, including $25 million for air operations in Colombia and $5 million in training. Spending more might require taking money from other countries in the region, particularly Bolivia and Peru, the administration officials said. The budget request for Bolivia already was cut significantly next year because Congress has demanded that the White House buy three advanced Blackhawk helicopters for Colombia's police, administration officials say. Mr. Beers told the House panel that the administration continued to question the deployment of the Blackhawk helicopters, which are faster and have greater range than the Vietnam-era Huey helicopters already provided Colombia. A leader of Colombia's police told the panel, however, that his force needs the advanced helicopters to reach ever-expanding coca fields. "The narco-guerrillas know what the range of a Huey is," he said.