July 27, 1999
Web posted at: 7:29 p.m. EDT (2329 GMT)

By Correspondent Lucia Newman

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey arrived in Colombia under tight security Tuesday to tackle what he calls a drug emergency in the Andes.

"Eighty percent of the drugs that destroy 52,000 Americans a year and cause $110 billion (in) damages originate from Colombia or transit through it," McCaffrey said. "Coca production has doubled in the last three years."

McCaffrey's visit comes at a difficult time. A U.S. military drug reconnaissance plane crashed Friday in one of the major cocaine producing areas of Colombia, a section controlled by leftist guerrillas.

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to distinguish between drug traffickers and guerrillas, McCaffrey said. He pledged Washington's logistical and intelligence support, but stopped short of offering troops.

Colombian President Andres Pastrana insisted that it is not his nation, but rather the world, that is losing the drug war.

"Do you think that we could end the largest business in the world, a $500 billion business, with (resources of only) $285 million in the next four years?" he asked.

Pastrana said those limited resources will ultimately yield diminished results.

"It's impossible. We need at least 10 to 15 years and at least $15 (billion) to $20 billion," he said.

While Washington wants to intensify drug interdiction as well as the eradication of coca and poppies, Colombia says it needs more: cooperation by the United States and Europe to finance alternative development and crop substitutions in the drug production areas.

But the timing could not be worse.

The United States and the European Union are spending millions in Central America to help the victims of Hurricane Mitch, and other funds have been earmarked to help rebuild Kosovo.

Those large financial commitments leave little remaining for Colombia's ambitious -- but expensive -- plan to finally win the drug war.

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