MISGUIDED AID

It is ironic that your Nov. 23 report on President Bush's visit with
President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia followed an article from the prior day
("Ballenger considers his legacy") in which another elected official,
retiring U.S. Rep. Cass Ballenger of North Carolina, lauded Colombia's
president: "If they don't kill him, he'll be the most successful president
ever in the Western Hemisphere." Unfortunately, both Bush and Ballenger
ignore the cost of Uribe's militarization of that troubled country. The
Colombian military has proven ties to the very paramilitary groups now
labeled as "narcoterrorists" by the United States. These groups threaten
and assassinate human rights workers, labor leaders, peasants and priests.
By funding the Colombian military, we are indirectly supporting terrorists.

When I traveled to Colombia last year I visited the region where the
U.S.-funded aerial eradication campaign against coca was under way. I
witnessed devastation caused by this wrongheaded approach to our country's
drug problem. Coca production may be down in some zones, but it simply
moves to other provinces and neighboring countries.

I also spoke to innocent people who are caught in the crossfire between the
three warring factions: guerrilla, paramilitary and military. U.S. dollars
fan the flames of this violence. We should be supporting a negotiated end
to the conflict and providing funds for social and economic development. If
Uribe initiates and implements such an approach, I'll join Ballenger in
singing his praises.

Denise Cumbee Long

Raleigh