T he United States is acting as if it could repeal the laws of economics as they relate to the South American coca trade. The result is a catastrophic situation being created in all spheres of life in some countries.

The United States is pressuring countries of the Andean region to fight an all out drug war no matter what it costs their societies. We are threaten-ing cutbacks in funds, offering military assistance and, through the example of Panama, demonstrating the end result of the failure to cooperate with the United States. Not only are we sending armed forces, we are pressuring neigh-bors to use their military to enforce civil drug laws.

Our myopic concern with cocaine ignores the economic, social and cul-tural problems of the Andean region. The economies of those countries are ravished. People are starving, unem-ployed and homeless. By forcing our neighbors in the direction of a military solution to problems of gross social and economic inequality, we are strength-ening anti-government forces, anti-American feelings and expanding vio-lence. Quite simply, we are pushing these countries toward civil war.

While the United States seems unconcerned with the economic and social implications of the drug war in Latin Arnerica, the United States is very protective of its economic inter-ests. The U.S. Department of Agricul-ture has successfully used U.S. law to block economic assistance to Latin America that could encourage produc-tion of commodities that might poten-tially compete with U.S. exports. On the other hand, drug war advocacy groups are pushing for extremist poli-cies in Latin America. For example, on June 22, the National Defense Council Foundation urged the use of the herbi-cide Tebuthiuron, commonly known as Spike, to eradicate crops in Bolivia and Peru. This broad leaf herbicide not only threatens coca crops, but also other crops, animals and human beings.

The following articles examine how our policies are affecting Latin Amer-ica. Susan Hamilton Saavedra of the International Resource Center at Notre Dame Library analyzes the economic and political realities in the Andean region. The Andean Commission of Jurists write of their fear of a renewed U.S. "Big Brother" policy. Also incuded is a review of the recent elections in Peru and Colombia and what they demonstrate about the future of the drug war. The final article, by the Cato Institute's.Ted Carpenter and R. Chan-ning Rouse, criticizes the use of the military in the drug war in Latin Amer-ica.

The printer did it

That's right. We're passing the buck. Last month we sent most of you a letter exclaiming that early registra-tion to the International Conference this fall would benefit you and us, but you got a contribution form instead of a registration form. A new form is on the back.
AST and KBZ