PLAN COLOMBIA REMAINS FLAWED

To the editor:

Re: Colombia Just Says No (March 15):

Thanks for the astute commentary. For over a year now the Bush
administration has been bombarded with criticism about Plan Colombia, which
funnels billions of American tax dollars to the Colombian civil war. As we
pass the anniversary of the plan's implementation, the CIA reports that
cocaine production in Colombia has actually increased compared to last year
at this time.

Faced with this stark indictment of the flawed plan, President Bush is now
attempting to re-spin the war as a "terrorist action," in desperate hopes
of continuing taxpayer funding of these efforts. What should we expect
then? Will we be carpet bombing Colombia until we "smoke out" the last
remaining drug lord?

Most Americans support tax dollars directed to helping real drug abusers
have access to treatment on demand. But regardless of how many hectares of
Colombia we poison with chemical bombing, and no matter how many Colombians
or other South Americans we kill with our military hardware and troop
support, not a single drug addict in America is any closer to recovery.

It's time to tell Congress, "NO!" with regard to continued funding of the
Colombian civil war, and "YES" to funding of drug treatment on demand for
those truly in need.

Stephen Heath, Drug Policy Forum of Florida Clearwater, Fla.