Posted on 08/06/2003 5:35:43 AM PDT by Pern
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell has recommended resuming U.S.-backed anti-drug flights over Colombia that were halted two years ago after a U.S. missionary and her baby died when their plane was mistakenly shot down over Peru, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
Restarting the "Airbridge Denial" program, under which U.S. equipment and intelligence would help the Colombian military track and possibly force down suspected drug flights, would be a boost to President Alvaro Uribe, who took office pledging to crack down on Colombia's illegal drug trade.
The U.S. officials, who asked not to be named, said President Bush was likely to approve the recommendation soon, possibly in time for Thursday's one-year anniversary of Uribe's taking office.
But some said that given the complexity of the agreement and the fact that many officials are on holiday the formal White House approval could slip to next week.
Colombia is the world's biggest cocaine exporter and receives much of its raw material from neighboring Peru, where the government is far less advanced in its negotiations with the United States over a resumption of flights.
Powell made his recommendation after lengthy negotiations with Colombia on safety procedures to prevent a recurrence of the 2001 incident in which a small aircraft was shot down over Peru, killing U.S. missionary Veronica Bowers and her daughter, Charity.
DRUGS FUND ARMED GROUPS
Colombian officials, who view the flights as a critical way to fight the cocaine trade, had wanted them to resume last year and the delay has frustrated many in the region.
The United States has poured more than $2 billion into the anti-drug campaign in Colombia since 2000, more than anywhere else in the hemisphere. The funding is crucial in Uribe's fight against Marxist rebels and far-right paramilitaries who draw vital funding from drug trafficking.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan declined to say whether Powell had recommended the program be resumed, but he made clear it was a priority for Bush.
"We are in the final stages of review and evaluation," he said. "The president's overriding concern is to support our allies in Colombia to address the threat to their national security posed by illegal drug trafficking while ensuring that procedures are in place to protect innocent life."
U.S. officials last week said the final issue to be resolved with Colombia concerned U.S.-supplied and -maintained ground-based radar systems and whether the data they generate was covered by the agreement.
Two weeks ago diplomatic sources said Colombia sent the United States a letter confirming the radars would be covered. However, one official said Washington sought assurances that the data would only be used to stop drug flights in parts of Colombia covered in the accord and Bogota had agreed to this.
While the Colombia deal appears on the verge of completion, efforts to design safeguards with Peru are lagging.
One U.S. official said Washington had given Lima assurances that it would have "some sort of interdiction program up and running by the end of the year."
And what have we received in return? Victory in the War on Drugs?
Another black hole that sucks up our tax dollars to help politicians look good. These people have no shame.
JMHO. Feel free to flame away.
Oh, puhhleeze!!
We invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban (who, incidentally, were zealous DRUG WARRIORS who received $43M in U.S. aid for their WOD efforts), and the recent Afghan opium poppy crop was one of the largest in history!
The only way to end the BLACK MARKET in drugs (which, incidentally, is a major factor in funding terrorism) is to LEGALIZE the drug trade and take the outrageous black market profits out of it.
The only way to end the BLACK MARKET in drugs (which, incidentally, is a major factor in funding terrorism) is to LEGALIZE the drug trade and take the outrageous black market profits out of it.
Bump.
And what have we received in return?
The killing of U.S. missionary Veronica Bowers and her daughter, Charity.
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