THE CRUCIAL BATTLE FOR COLOMBIA

No public issue has held our attention as firmly as national security since
September 11, and rightly so. The attacks on that day were brutal reminders
of the danger that evil men pose to open and democratic societies, the
value of our way of life, and the necessity of our leadership in the world.
Our first war of the 21st century is peculiar to our time.

Our enemy is not a powerful rival state but a lethal combination of
transnational criminal networks and terror organizations aimed at
overthrowing governments and the international order, possessing the means
and will to inflict terrible destruction. Unfortunately, this combination
is not unique. Today, many challenges to our values and our interests arise
from such combinations, even here in our own hemisphere.

Narcotics traffickers and terrorists are waging a vicious campaign of
political violence in Colombia that kills 3,000 people every year.

The three terror groups in Colombia - FARC, ELN and AUC - are not popular
movements. They do not represent forces for social progress. They are after
power, control over territory and the dollars of drug trade that comes with
it. Their tactics - assassination, bombing, kidnapping and murder - betray
their true motives. The people and the democratically elected government of
Colombia are their targets.

This is a critical moment in the history of Colombia and the Western
Hemisphere. Colombia is an embattled country in a part of the world where
democratic republics are struggling to overcome the legacy of poverty,
statism and authoritarianism. Twenty years ago, only about a quarter of the
people in Latin America enjoyed democratic rule. Today, all of Latin
America has democratic government except Cuba.

The ideas of freedom and equality have begun to be put into the practice of
democracy and markets throughout our hemisphere. This is a welcome
development that holds great promise for us all, but the end of this
historic evolution is not a foregone conclusion. In some countries, the
transition to democracy is troubled by lingering conflicts and opposition
to progress. In Colombia, the opposition is deadly. The 40 million people
of Colombia deserve freedom from terror and an opportunity to participate
fully in the new democratic community of American states. It is in our
self-interest to see that they get it.

Colombia's troubles radiate outward, reaching even our own shores. Colombia
is the third most populous nation in Latin America. Its economy is integral
to the region, and the prosperity of the region is important to our own.

The U.S. sells more to Latin America and the Caribbean than to the European
Union. We sell more to the Southern Cone common market (MERCOSUR) than to
China. Latin America and the Caribbean comprise our fastest-growing export
market. Equally important, we require strong partners in the hemisphere to
suppress illegal migration, drug trafficking and terrorism. Only prosperous
and stable democratic governments can provide the cooperation we need.

FARC's deliberate frustration of the peace process and renewed terror
campaign, featuring the assassination of rural mayors and bombings in the
capital, have prompted the government of Colombia to request expanded
assistance from the United States. Recognizing that our interests in the
success of Colombian democracy are broad, President Bush has asked the
Congress to allow us to provide military and intelligence assistance to the
Colombian government in its war against terror.

Colombia can defeat the terrorists, but it needs help from its friends to
do it.

Despite violence and intimidation aimed at keeping the Colombian people
away from the polls, the incoming president of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, won
an unprecedented first-round election victory campaigning on a platform to
end corruption, uphold human rights, create jobs, spur growth and fight the
terrorists. Mr. Uribe understands the necessity of having a social,
economic and military strategy to win this war. Colombia does not want or
need U.S. troops, but it does need training, arms, equipment and
intelligence to implement a successful military strategy.

Our leadership is critical to the success and prosperity of the democratic
republics in our region. We cannot allow criminals and terrorists to
threaten our friends and neighbors. If the 800 million people of the
Americas are going to fulfill the promise and potential of this vast and
plentiful hemisphere, the United States must work with its partners and
allies to extend and strengthen democracy in the American community. Our
values, our security and the future of our hemisphere are tied to
Colombia's victory in its war against terror.