DRUG-WAR HYPOCRISY

Drug-Certification Program Has Outlived Its Usefulness.

Yesterday, as Washington issued its annual list of countries "certified" as
cooperating partners with the United States in the war against drugs, many
in Congress were trying their best to kill the controversial program. We
wish them success.

The United States, the world's largest consumer of illegal drugs, should
put a stop to its drug-certification program, which points an accusing
finger but doesn't look itself in the mirror. It should do so in a spirit
of global cooperation, which is the only viable solution for so universal a
problem.

Fortunately, support for eliminating the program is mounting.

In February, Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and John McCain, R-Ariz.,
introduced a bill calling for a two-year suspension of certification. They
were joined by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose members visited
Mexico and came back committed to ending the program. And yesterday, U.S.
Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, urged the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
to curtail the program. He has introduced legislation in the House that
would suspend certification for two years.

In December, the Organization of American States came up with the
Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism, a country-by-country review that some
hoped would offer an alternative to the United States's drug-certification
process. But some U.S. lawmakers consider that an ineffective replacement.

Congress should pass the suspension bill. If it does, President Bush and
the OAS would have time to develop a better strategy for solidifying the
cooperation of all countries involved -- especially Mexico and Colombia,
which were recertified yesterday although they continue to voice strong
sentiments against certification.

The certification program measures countries by their cooperation with the
United States in fighting drug production, transport and distribution. Yet,
the drug trade also involves laundering of millions of dollars in offshore-
and U.S. banks. As a result, the United States is seen as being
duplicitous. It issues "lists" of countries with financial institutions
suspected of holding dirty money, while others see the United States as
being soft on money launderers. Case in point: President Clinton's pardons
of convicted drug traffickers. To end the hypocrisy, drug certification
should be suspended.