BARR BACKS BUSH ON PERU INCIDENT

Rep. Bob Barr sided with the Bush administration Monday by suggesting
Peru's military failed to follow established rules of engagement in
shooting down an American missionary plane.

Missionary Veronica Bowers and her 7-month-old daughter, Charity, died as
the plane crashed in the Amazon River. Peru's air force said it could not
identify the plane. A U.S. CIA plane had alerted the Peruvians about the
unidentified craft before it was shot down.

Barr appeared on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews Monday afternoon.

He said the joint U.S.- Peru anti-drug program had been very effective.

But of the incident Saturday, he said, "The area the plane operated in was
known for dangerous drug trafficking."

"The Peruvians made very serious errors," he said.