Q&A

Columbian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos will be approaching the new Obama administration to plead that it maintain its $556-million-a-year drug eradication program Plan Columbia.  In the face of a never-before-seen deficit, he faces a steep battle.  

The LA Times ran a Q&A with Santos today.  

Santos told the LA Times Plan Columbia is responsible for bringing Columbia from the brink of a failed state to a working democracy and subduing of the FARC.  

In closing remarks, Santos said:

"Look, we're a success story here, asking for minimal financial commitment compared with your other problems, so don't sacrifice something that's much more important than the value of the dollars you have invested.  It's in the interest of the U.S. to maintain a strong democracy in Columbia.  And Plan Columbia is one of the determinants."  

Breaking News

Breaking news - the war on drugs is not working. 

Having sent $6 Billion to Colombian president Alvaro Uribe since 2000 and instituted Plan Colombia (which sent pilots, equipment and training to Colombia to eradicate drug production), land used for coca production is up 15 percent and productivity up four percent.

Newsweek International explains the seemingly impossible odds against anti-drug efforts.