>Sender: >To: >X-Original-Message-ID: <00d501bf26e9$94a3ee30$9acf69cf@pacbell.net> >From: "Peter McWilliams" >Subject: McCaffrey's hotseat gets hotter >Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1999 09:25:25 -0800 >X-Mozilla-Status: 8001 >X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 > > > >From Associated Press: > > > >WASHINGTON (AP) - As delegates from 34 nations assembled for what is billed > >as the first drug summit for the Western Hemisphere, U.S. and Latin leaders > >said Wednesday that the war on drugs is being lost and new strategies are > >needed. > > > >``As you meet to develop a hemispheric drug strategy, it is time to admit > >that after two decades, the U.S. war on drugs - both in Latin America and in > >the United States - is a failure,'' according to a letter that prominent > >Americans and Latin Americans wrote to delegates attending the conference. > > > >The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Organization > >of American States are sponsoring the event, which ends on Friday. The > >meeting is being held to exchange ideas on drug challenges expected in the > >first decade of the 21st century. > > > >``This conference provides an opportunity to share our ideas and strategies > >for stopping the flow of illegal drugs,'' said Barry McCaffrey, President > >Clinton's chief drug policy adviser. > > > >The letter urged officials at the conference to focus on policies to reduce > >consumption, expand drug treatment programs and promote economic development > >as a way to decrease the reliance on drug income among people who produce > >drugs. > > > >McCaffrey's office said it hadn't seen the letter but countered that > >anti-drug efforts netted a 13 percent drop in drug use among U.S. youths last > >year. > > > >``What they are protesting is exactly what we have been doing, so we find the > >protest somewhat disingenuous,'' said McCaffrey spokesman Bob Weiner. ``If > >they look at our national strategy, Goal No. 1 is to educate and enable young > >people to reject illegal drugs.'' > > > >The letter was released at a press conference organized by the > >Washington-based Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, which pushes for reform > >on crime issues. > > > >Among those who signed the letter were jurists, doctors, artists, religious > >leaders and three former Latin presidents - Belisario Betancur of Colombia, > >Violeta Chamorro of Nicaragua and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oscar Arias of > >Costa Rica - as well as fellow laureate Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Argentine > >human rights activist. > > > >``The escalation of a militarized drug war in Colombia and elsewhere in the > >Americas threatens regional stability, undermines efforts towards > >demilitarization and democracy and has put U.S. arms and money into the>hands > >of corrupt officials and military ... units involved in human rights > >abuses,'' the letter said. > > >================================================================ > >This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . >To unsubscribe, E-mail to: