OUT OF COLOMBIA

Analysts have suggested that the results of Colombia's parliamentary
election this month indicate a firm rejection of that country's two major
parties and of U.S. involvement in Colombia's civil war. A closer look
suggests dissatisfaction among voters but no clear policy signal one way or
the other.

Both the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party lost seats in Colombia's
Senate. Small, independent parties now hold majorities.

The United States should be alert to the changing sentiments of Colombians
- - and reconsider the ambitious Plan Colombia initiated by the Clinton
administration and continued under President Bush.

Plan Colombia calls for certain kinds of U.S. military support and other
aid to the Colombian government with the aim of reducing illegal drug
traffic. We oppose the plan.

The U.S. mission, consisting mostly of military aid and military advisers,
was sold to Americans as a battle in the drug war, but it was recently
expanded to include guarding a pipeline owned by Occidental Petroleum. It
has not stemmed the flow of cocaine out of Colombia and it has not brought
stability to that country.

In fact, a case can be made that U.S. intervention subsidizes violence.
U.S. taxpayers' money flows to the Colombian military, and active drug war
measures make cocaine more profitable for guerrillas and narcoterrorists.

The best bet would be to end U.S. intervention and end the war on drugs so
the United States can concentrate on the struggle against terrorism.