STAY THE COURSE

The United States must continue the anti-drug fight in Colombia. The vote
fell along partisan lines, but the House made the right choice to fully
approve a continuation of U.S. aid for the anti-drug fight in Colombia.
Lawmakers rejected an amendment that would have cut the $676 million Andean
Counter-drug Initiative by $100 million.

Ultimately approved as part of the overall foreign-aid bill, the initiative
targets funds to Colombia and six other countries in the region. As the
largest consumer market for Colombian cocaine, the United States cannot
abandon the fight now.

Yet lawmakers' concerns about U.S. involvement in Colombia's war and
human-rights abuses were evident in the House debate on the anti-narcotics
money.

One sign: The House refused a White House request to lift the cap on
civilian contractors on U.S. projects in Colombia. Such contractors range
from pilots fumigating coca fields to lawyers working on projects to
strengthen the judiciary.

Even so, the House agreed to allow the cap of 300 civilians to be waived as
long as the combined civilian/military presence remained under the overall
cap of 800, which actually should allow for more civilian jobs.

Congress, however, must keep in mind that Colombia's narco-industrialists
are entwined with the left-wing insurgency and with the country's
right-wing paramilitaries. Both the guerrillas and paramilitaries rely on
narco-financing to continue battling and committing human-rights abuses --
and the resulting chaos strengthens the narcos.

Only a strong Colombian military could hope to break the self-reinforcing
cycle. It's in the U.S. interest to see that through, and thus reduce the
supply of narcotics flowing into our country.

The Andean initiative is crucial to continuing the groundwork set by last
year's $1.3 billion Plan Colombia. That plan heavily featured military aid
- -- mostly helicopters and training for Colombia's beleaguered armed forces.
Much of those funds have yet to be spent, and the vaunted Blackhawk
helicopters have yet to arrive. Yet Colombia's military already shows
notable improvement in its professionalism and combat capabilities. There
have been successes, too, in coca-eradication efforts.

Less than half of this year's $676 million Andean initiative would go to
Colombia, with half of that earmarked for military aid. The balance would
fund social and economic programs, among them the development of
alternatives for coca farmers.

The Senate should approve this worthy initiative.