Research Challenge: How do candidates stand on Columbia Plan?

[lostnfound]

The Columbia Plan seems to me to be a microcosm of what's wrong in Washington. In this single case, you have 1) lobbying by big corporations, 2) support of brutal regimes, 3) lying to the American public, 4) disregard for human rights, 5)gross waste of taxpayer's money, and 6) an environmental disaster.

Do we know how our candidates stand on this issue?
I'd like to challenge each of you to do some digging and find your favorite candidate's POSITION on this issue.
(To keep it organized, think we could have only one thread branch for each candidate?)

Background on Plan Columbia:
To spend as much as $1 billion a year, ostensibly intended to stop people from smoking marijuana in the United States by spraying a weedkiller, 'Agent Green', from helicopters, over 20% of the land area of Columbia.

Five corporations did most of the lobbying: Occidental Petroleum, BP Amoco, Enron, United Technologies and Bell Helicopter Textron. They showed their interest through $3.4 million in PAC and soft money contributions. $400 million of the money goes to help the Columbians buy 63 helicopters made by United Technologies's Sikorsky Aircraft and Bell Helicopter Textron.

An important pipeline runs across the northern part of Columbia, right in the area where the Columbia leftist rebels challenge Columbia's right-wing government.

[markses]

1. Answer 1: How to spell the name of the country

Colombia. Colombia. Colombia.

[lostnfound]

3. Oops! It's a permanent defect..I seem to always mispell it.

But I'm glad to see there was some interest in this ;-)

[SlavesandBulldozers]

2. defoliating the Amazon River basin

The Drug War is quite possibly the most important issue not talked about by Dems and Repubs. They both benefit too much from the status quo.

NOT ONE of the Democratic contenders (nd the Republicans stances are even more dismal) has a common sense approach to drug policy. All of them support the current state of prohibition, and, by proxy, support the spraying of the Amazon Basin with defoliants. SPRAYING THE AMAZON RIVER BASIN WITH DEFOLIANTS PEOPLE!!

[lostnfound]

4. Kucinich -- Statements about Colombia Plan

Without ever seeing his thoughts on it, I already knew where he'd stand: on the side of principles, human rights, common sense. Dennis rocks! I found this, his speech a few months ago in support of an amendment to move funding away from military aid to Colombia and towards infectious disease programs.

http://www.ciponline.org/colombia/030723kuci.htm

He talks about "an ineffective drug eradication program" which has "failed to end the drug flow to America, and it has failed to protect human rights", mentions the Colombian military as "linked to human rights abuses", and the associated paramilitary group with "torture, executions, and disappearances of innocent Colombian citizens".

He points out the paradox that "the U.S. is funding a military that is working with a terrorist drug-trafficking organization in an effort to eradicate drugs", and references a Washington Post article and Uribe's own report that the AUC gets 80 percent of its funding from drug trafficking.

He talks about how fumigation destroys the alternate development projects (livestock and aquaculture), affects health including respiratory ailments among young children.

His speech is worth a read. Ironic that I find what attracts me the most to Dennis is his approach to foreign policy, with no 'experience'. But it's not rocket science to treat people with respect. It's just lightyears away from what the cynics in DC have been doing for the past 50 years.

[lostnfound]

5. Gephardt also voted to transfer funding and restrict use

I see that Gephardt also voted for the McGovern-Skelton amendment, which is a point in his favor.
http://www.ciponline.org/colombia/030723vote.htm

[lostnfound]

6. Kerry - Produced report documenting US hypocrisy on Colombia

I'm still researching the others, but found this on Kerry in the Columbia Journalism Review: http://www.cjr.org/archives.asp?url=/97/1/d-alliance.asp

Even when a special Senate subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations, chaired by Senator John Kerry, released its long-awaited report, Drugs, Law Enforcement and Foreign Policy, big-media coverage constituted little more than a collective yawn. The 1,166-page report -- it covered not only the covert operations against Nicaragua, but also relations with Panama, Haiti, the Bahamas, and other countries involved in the drug trade -- was the first to document U.S. knowledge of, and tolerance for, drug smuggling under the guise of national security. "In the name of supporting the contras," the Kerry Committee concluded in a sad but stunning indictment, officials "abandoned the responsibility our government has for protecting our citizens from all threats to their security and well-being."

I like the fact that Kerry would support such an honest statement in this report.

[lostnfound]

7. But Kerry 'forgets what he knows' in this one; supports C-plan

http://www.ciponline.org/colombia/062206.htm

A mixed bag here -- On the plus side, his speech at least recognizes the toll that the spraying takes on the population, creating refugees, and the need for human rights; he points out the ties between 'counterinsurgency' and counternarc' efforts (hinting that the former is masquerading as the latter) ..but..

He concludes by giving his support of the overall plan, and continues the charade that the plan is going to help reduce drugs in the U.S. Indeed, putting the cart before the horse in pretending that drug trafficking is the 'major obstacle to advancement' when in fact it is often a tool for covert ops by "our guys":

The United States must stay engaged with the Pastrana government and support its critical efforts to combat drug trafficking. Instead of being limited by our reservations, we must use them to carefully craft a policy that addresses economic development, political stability, human rights and the rule of law. Drug trafficking is the major obstacle to the advancement of these goals, and it must be curbed if any progress is to be made in our drug war at home.