IF AMERICAN-TRAINED TROOPS COMMIT ATROCITIES

On Aug. 30, the day of President Clinton's visit to Colombia, a Post
editorial ["The Colombia Commitment"] voiced strong support for the $1.3
billion aid package called Plan Colombia. The endorsement was based upon
sound logic, until the editor wrote, "The military aid is also conditioned
on the Colombian forces' human rights performance, and presumably the next
president will not waive those conditions if American-trained troops commit
atrocities."

That is a deeply flawed presumption, given that this president waived the
human rights conditions just one week after government troops ambushed a
group of schoolchildren on a nature walk, killing six and seriously
injuring four. And that is just the most recent of a gruesome string of
atrocities that have occurred at the hands of government forces or their
allies since Clinton began pushing for aid.

If The Post chooses to endorse Plan Colombia, fair enough. Just don't
predicate the endorsement on empty human rights rhetoric and false
presumptions.

Steven Bennett, Syracuse, N.Y.