BLAMING OTHERS FOR OUR WOES BY EVERETT BRIGGS
Journal of Commerce

Basta!

Enough! Congress should rescind its requirement that the
administration annually certify whether certain countries
are fully cooperating with the United States in curtailing
illegal drug production and trafficking.

This law is clearly destructive to dealing effectively
with what has become a worldwide problem that should be
treated as such. Certification places a heavy, unnecessary
burden on beleaguered policy makers in Washington.

Witness the recent contortions among the bureaucrats and
White House in deciding to ""decertify'' Colombia while
""certifying'' Mexico. These awkward decisions boiled down
to basics: Colombian President Ernesto Samper is a ""
crook'' (at least in the words of one highranking
administration official), whereas his Mexican counterpart,
Ernesto Zedillo, is deemed to be honest. Never mind that
the reverse is said to be the case with their security
forces.

Nor has Washington picked up the irony of the charge
against Mr. Samper that he benefited from tainted campaign
financing.

The aftermath of Mexico's ""certification'' has been a
further example of Congress' penchant for selfdelusion.
Having imposed this stupid requirement, Congress has wasted
time belaboring the point that if only foreign governments
would cut off the supply, the demand at home would dry up.

This is simplistic and wrong. As shown in a new
independent task force report sponsored by the Council on
Foreign Relations, our problems derive largely from a
failure by the United States to deal effectively with
demand at home. Law enforcement, including control of
U.S.Mexican borders, cooperation among police forces
across the country, and the judicial enforcement of
criminal laws is lax. We have failed miserably in
treatment, education and prevention.

Scarcely noted by the Mexico bashers in Congress is the
fact that production and consumption of alcohol, LSD,
methamphetamines and domestically produced marijuana in the
United States are on the rise.

According to the national drug czar, Gen. Barry
McCaffrey, these are the drugs of choice of the younger
generation, with cocaine use actually in decline.

Who is there to ""decertify'' the United States? More
specifically, how is it that no one talks of sanctions
against California for its marijuana production, or Arizona
and California for legalizing marijuana for medical
use? Or San Francisco for its rising consumption of
synthetic drugs?

The answer is that it is politically much easier for
legislators to blame foreigners for what is happening in
their home constituencies than to acknowledge their own
responsibility. Diverting attention and blame to our
foreign neighbors also lets U.S. local, state and federal
authorities off the hook. Clearly a better strategy is
called for.

First, we Americans have got to get serious about demand
reduction and law enforcement at home. Until we do,
suppliers, both domestic and foreign, will continue to have
a field day, and our mafias will continue peddling the
stuff across the land.

Second, instead of trying to deal with producer or
transit countries unilaterally or bilaterally (with or
without attempting pressure tactics such as
""certification''), we must truly internationalize the
campaign against what is a global problem. Today, cocaine
and heroin are being consumed in all the major cities of
the world. Every nation has a stake in curing itself of
this evil.

According to the independent task force's report, U.S.
support for drug control efforts by multilateral
organizations has averaged around $5 million annually for
the past 10 years. This is ludicrous. The United States
should organize a common front with our concerned neighbors
_ all of whom also have a growing problem of consumption.
We need a global campaign to deal with demand reduction, as
well as international law enforcement.

It is time for Washington to get to work. Congress
should start by rescinding the certification requirement.
GRAPHIC: Graphic Narcotics; Everett Briggs, president of
Americas Society and Council of the Americas, is former
U.S. ambassador to Portugal, Panama and Honduras.; Cartoon:
""I just love lecturing to a captive audience!'' Uncle Sam,
(Lurie)