CONGRESS SHOULD OK AID TO COLOMBIA

But Clear Conditions Should Be Attached, As Well

There are plenty of reasons for members of Congress to be leery about
giving more money to Colombia. A major political scandal surrounding
President Alvaro Uribe and his party is growing, and getting closer to
the president himself. An amnesty with paramilitary forces has been
far too generous to these criminals. Human rights protections need to
be strengthened, and too much of Colombia's territory remains beyond
the reach of the government. And yet, Congress should approve more aid
to Colombia -- with strings.

In a way, Colombia has become the Pakistan of Latin America -- a
strategic U.S. ally in a troubled part of the world, with a government
that leaves a lot to be desired. But even this comparison falls short,
principally because President Uribe, unlike Pakistan's Musharraf, is a
popular -- and popularly elected -- democratic leader.

Decrease In Violence

Over the past few years, Mr. Uribe has waged an effective campaign
against left-wing guerrillas, his "democratic security" policy has
reduced violence by organized crime and lawless groups, and his
government has improved its cooperation with the United States in the
fight against drugs.

A failure by Congress to approve the Bush administration's request for
$600 million in aid for each of the next two years would send the
wrong message to the rest of the hemisphere.

First of all, it would be interpreted in every country in the region
as a failure by the United States to recognize who its friends are.
Far more important, it would ignore the enormous sacrifices made by
Colombia's people over decades of struggle against drug traffickers
and organized insurgent groups of all stripes.

Congress Must Step Up

Under President Uribe, and President Andres Pastrana before him,
Colombia has come from the brink of being a "failed state," but at a
great cost to its soldiers, police, judges, journalists and anyone
else who dared confront the forces of lawlessness. Congress cannot
turn its back on this effort.

At the same time, it cannot turn a blind eye to the shortcomings of
the government. Mr. Uribe has to get to the bottom of the scandal
involving the penetration of his government by paramilitary forces. He
has to show, as President Bush declared during his visit to Bogota
last month, that he is serious about protecting human rights.

The government has been very good about extraditing Colombian
criminals wanted in the United States to this country, but the
paramilitary leaders -- the real kingpins -- remain in Colombia. All
of this has to change, and Congress should set benchmarks and
conditions on the aid it approves for Colombia.