PRO-CON: MORE AID FOR THE DRUG WAR IN COLUMBIA? YES

In largely unheralded good news, the Bush administration has made
great strides helping Colombia fight the double-barreled threat of a
deadly insurgency and ultra-powerful drug lords. The bad news is that
if we're not careful, these hard-fought gains could slip right
through our fingers.

With progress in fighting drugs uneven in much of Latin America,
Colombia has been a singular success story. With $4 billion in
training and aid from the United States since 2000, Colombian
President Alvaro Uribe is successfully prosecuting a 20-year-old war
on drugs, while also defeating a 40-year guerrilla insurgency.

Without sustained U.S. aid, Colombia won't be able to increase its
security forces. It's not just about helping a friendly,
democratically elected government fight drugs and an insurgency. It's
about security in this hemisphere.

Peter Brookes

Heritage Foundation