US DRUG INTERDICTION EFFORT RECEIVES $690 MILLION BOOST

Through a last-minute infusion of aid by Congress, the United States is
boosting its anti-drug budget by $ 690 million to interdict cocaine and
heroin entering the country from Latin America.

The money, included in the emergency supplemental appropriations bill signed
by President Clinton this week, will greatly increase the types and quantity
of aircraft and ships used in the drug war in Latin America. The new
equipment will include six UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for the Colombian
police, purchased for $ 96 million; six sophisticated surveillance airplanes
for the Customs Service at a cost of $ 153 million; and $ 53 million worth
of new and remodeled ships for the Coast Guard.

The aid is expected to increase with an additional $ 2 billion for
interdiction efforts authorized, but not appropriated, in the omnibus
spending bill signed by Clinton.

Sponsors of the bill argued that the new money was necessary because the
Clinton administration had sharply reduced funds available to cut off the
flow of drugs. Administration officials said the White House, which had been
skeptical of the initiative, would not oppose it.

Rep. Bill McCollum (R-Fla.), a chief sponsor of the legislation, said the
spending is "a clear message to the drug traffickers who prey on our kids:
The pipeline of drugs pouring into the U.S. is shutting down."

The single biggest beneficiary of the aid is the Colombian National Police,
who will receive the Black Hawk helicopters as well as upgrades for the
aging fleet of Huey UH-1H helicopters.

Supporters argued that the more sophisticated helicopters were necessary to
eradicate poppy, used to make heroin and grown at high altitudes, and to
counter the increased firepower of leftist guerrillas active throughout the
countryside.

The move had been opposed by the White House, which said the Black Hawks
cost almost twice as much as the Vietnam-era Hueys to operate and need more
maintenance.

"The administration has fought the Congress tooth and nail over the last few
years to prevent the provision of badly needed high-performance helicopters
for the Colombian anti-drug police," said Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman (R-N.Y.).
"Our Republican drug task force finally prevailed, and none too early,
because the heroin crisis in America, most of which comes from Colombia, is
growing out of control."

Congressional sources said the increased aid to Colombia is both an effort
to halt the growth of Marxist guerrilla movements, which have handed the
military stinging defeats recently, and a vote of confidence in Gen. Jose
Serrano, commander of the police.

Congressional sources said that without the personal goodwill generated by
Serrano, who won widespread acclaim as his troops dismantled both the
Medellin and Cali cartels in Colombia, the push for aid would not have been
successful. The sources said none of the aid is going to the Colombian
military because of its poor human rights record.

Colombia's recently elected president, Andres Pastrana, has agreed to open
talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the oldest and
largest Marxist group in the hemisphere. Counting the smaller National
Liberation Army (ELN), insurgents now number about 20,000 and control about
half of the national territory, although they have captured none of the
major cities.

"It gives the security forces a much needed boost in morale," Andy Messing,
an expert on the Colombian conflict at the National Defense Council
Foundation, said of the increase in aid. "It will start to level out the
battle field so serious negotiations can begin to take place."


Checked-by: Don Beck