NARCO-GUERRILLAS MAKE COLOMBIA A POTENTIAL AFGHANISTAN

Had I not seen the date Feb. 22 on your report about the conflict in
Colombia, I could have been easily convinced that the situation described
had taken place at any point in the past six or seven years ("Colombian
warplanes hit rebel turf," World). This is because nothing about the
Colombia situation seems that new: The key players and problems have
existed for decades.

For more than 40 years, Colombia, the oldest democracy in Latin America,
has been struggling against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN), and the paramilitary for
control. In August 1998, when President Andres Pastrana's administration
replaced the drug-tainted administration of Ernesto Samper, the country
began to strengthen its democracy and attempted to contain the rebel
groups. However, as we have learned lately, "containment" is not a
successful policy.

The rebels were given a zone in southern Colombia in 1998, where they
expanded their "dark-side" capitalism activities, which are centered on
drugs. El Tiempo, a major Colombian newspaper, estimates that these
narco-guerrilla groups bring in $100 million a month from drug sales. This
revenue supports an army of more than 20,000 insurgents, a worldwide
propaganda effort, and even a Web page.

For three years, the narco-guerrilla groups and the democracy-seeking
population of Colombia were able to co-exist in a state of lethal, yet
low-key turmoil. However, after the recent plane hijacking and kidnapping
of Colombian Sen. Jorge Gechen Turbay, it would be naive to assume that the
narco-guerrilla groups had been "contained" or that drug monies are not
supporting the increasing terrorist activities.

Accordingly, the United States should be putting more effort into this
potential "Afghanistan" in its own hemisphere.

BRITNEY E. O'CONNOR, Research assistant

National Defense Council Foundation

Alexandria