CHOPPERS TO COLOMBIA

Rep. Ben Gilman ["Choppers to Colombia?" op-ed, Sept. 22] inaccurately
portrays the Office of National Drug Control Policy director's views on
providing Blackhawk helicopters to the Colombian national police (CNP).
Barry McCaffrey has always believed that these helicopters would be of great
use to CNP antidrug efforts.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy consistently has opposed the
stripping of U.S. support from successful counterdrug activities in Bolivia
and Peru to pay for CNP helicopters; this is what Rep. Gilman proposed in
1997. Congress, with Mr. McCaffrey's support, appropriated money for six
Blackhawks in 1998 and released funds for their purchase earlier this year.
Delivery will begin in November after CNP pilots and crews are ready to
maintain and fly them.

Sending helicopters to Colombia so they can sit on the ground makes little
sense. Moreover, helicopters are just a small part of the administration's
larger effort to help Colombia overcome the drug emergency there that also
affects America.

Pancho Kinney, Director of Strategy, Office of National Drug Control Policy,
Washington