Pubdate: Wed, 18 Feb 2004
Source: Herald, The (SC)
Copyright: 2004 The Herald
Contact:  http://www.heraldonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/369
Author: Mary Keenan

DON'T FUMIGATE COLOMBIAN FORESTS

It's the height of election season, and politics is being debated
everywhere from the halls of Congress to community centers in small
towns across the country. With so many important foreign policy issues
claiming our attention, U.S. policy in Colombia is being overlooked.

The Bush Administration plans to step up fumigation in Colombia this
year, and has announced that it will begin spraying Colombia's
beautiful and fragile national parks. Imagine if France or Germany
wanted to spray our national forests with poison in order to rid the
U.S. of tobacco. What a furor there would be.

President Bush continues to use the war on terrorism as justification
for providing Colombia with still more military aid -- aid that goes
to armed forces known for collaboration with paramilitary terrorists.
The United States has already sent more than $2.5 billion in U.S. tax
payers' money -- mostly military aid to fuel a war that has been going
on for over 40 years.

Aerial fumigation of crops has backfired; many young farmers are
joining the guerillas after having their primary means of survival
fumigated.

The U.S. should support a negotiated end to the conflict.

Mary Keenan

Rock Hill
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MAP posted-by: Josh