Coca spat bares rift over U.S. drug war (cost the US 4 B$ since 2000)

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061223/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/colombia_coca_spat

Coca spat bares rift over U.S. drug war

By JOSHUA GOODMAN, Associated Press Writer Sat Dec 23, 3:45 AM ET

BOGOTA, Colombia - Bolstered by the election of a cadre of coca-friendly leaders, opposition is growing across the Andes ridge to a U.S.-led anti-narcotics strategy long seen by people in the region as overbearing and hypocritical.


The abrupt announcement by Ecuador's president-elect, Rafael Correa, that he was canceling a Friday visit to Bogota is the most dramatic manifestation yet of the sentiment.

Correa said he couldn't visit unless Colombia at least temporarily halted aerial spraying of illegal coca crops, the basis of cocaine, along his country's border.

The brash move, announced as Correa ended two days of talks in Venezuela with its U.S.-bashing President Hugo Chavez, signals disdain for a major linchpin of U.S. policy in Colombia that has cost American taxpayers $4 billion since 2000.

"I couldn't be visiting our sister nation of Colombia while they are bombarding us with glyphosate on the border," Correa said, referring to the herbicide used in aerial fumigation.

[davhill]

1. Four Billion is chicken feed

We spend that much in 10 days in Iraq.