[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 60 (Monday, May 16, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, as Congress debates the merits of 
the crime bill pending in the House and Senate, it is worth reminding 
ourselves that drug trafficking is more than simply a domestic issue. 
It has an international dimension as well.
  The vast majority of illicit drugs in this country comes from abroad. 
Indeed, according to some estimates, the Cali Cartel in Colombia alone 
controls over 70 percent of the world's cocaine business. The 
effectiveness of our domestic crime control efforts will be undermined 
if drugs flow unabated from these source nations.
  Moreover, international drug control efforts serve significant 
foreign policy concerns. As former Senator Tim Wirth sagely observes in 
his recent article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, drug trafficking 
gangs spread their poisonous influence throughout the international 
arena, threatening the stability of countries in Asia, Latin America, 
Africa, and elsewhere.
  Senator Wirth rightly states that combatting the international drug 
cartels requires increased international awareness, as well as the 
cooperation of multilateral and ad hoc organizations, such as the 
United Nations and the Organization of American States. It will also 
require American assistance--both technical and monetary--to encourage 
an effective international response to drugs trafficking. In addition 
to interdiction efforts, America must help vulnerable nations in 
structural ways, by encouraging judicial reform, strengthening 
democratic institutions, and working to stabilize economies previously 
dependent on narco-dollars.
  Tim Wirth's article is a welcome reminder that the drug scourge has 
international, as well as domestic, ramifications. I commend him for 
his timely observations, and I ask that his article be reprinted 
following my remarks.
  The article follows:

               U.S. Must Lead Global Fight Against Drugs

                         (By Timothy E. Wirth)

       In a recent column on the crime scare [published Jan. 31 in 
     the Post-Dispatch], David Broder wrote that Congress and the 
     president should quit grandstanding about crime and take more 
     productive if less headline-grabbing steps against it. Citing 
     the link between crime and drugs, he said Congress and this 
     administration should get serious about making drug treatment 
     available to everyone who needs it.
       Although he makes a good point, Broder, like many others, 
     overlooks a critical aspect of the link between drugs and the 
     crimes committed on the streets of American cities: the 
     international dimension. Since all of the heroin and cocaine 
     fueling drug-related crime and violence in the United States 
     comes from other countries, we cannot expect to make progress 
     in our domestic efforts against crime or drugs if we turn our 
     backs on international drug control programs.
       In reaction to shrinking budgets, debate on drug control 
     policies increasingly is couched in zero-sum terms: Either 
     the money should be spent overseas or it should be 
     concentrated here at home. The domestic problems of drugs and 
     crime cannot be addressed by ignoring what happens overseas. 
     Long-term commitment to U.S. leadership in international drug 
     control may be a more subtle case to argue, but that is 
     precisely what is needed.
       Criminals narco-trafficking mafias operate with all the 
     advantages and efficiency of the largest multinational 
     corporations, but they rely on primitive violence in pursuit 
     of profit and power. Nigerian heroin gangs have extended 
     their reach from Lagos, across Africa, to Europe, the Far 
     East and the United States. Their wealth and influence could 
     complicate Nigeria's return to democracy.
       In Latin America, traffickers challenge basic legal 
     institutions, suborn or attack law enforcement agents and buy 
     off or threaten judges, politicians, officials, military 
     officers and the media. In Russia, criminal gangs grow in 
     size, power and reach, establishing ties to narco-trafficking 
     organizations. Recently, a ton of South American cocaine was 
     seized in a Russian port.
       Only vigorous U.S. international leadership can help stop 
     nations newly freed from the chains of communism from 
     becoming newly enslaved to the influences of powerful 
     narcotics and crime syndicates that threaten democracy.
       Past policies have been long on ``war'' metaphors and short 
     on realistic goals for turning back the tide of drug 
     trafficking and abuse. That kind of thinking has fed much of 
     the current frustration about programs that don't work.
       The administration has reviewed previous programs, and 
     fashioned its own approach to the drug problem. On Feb. 9, 
     President Bill Clinton announced a new drug control strategy. 
     The goals of this strategy are to build international 
     awareness of the global threat from drug and crime 
     syndicates, create momentum for international cooperation, 
     strengthen democratic institutions and help stabilize 
     economies previously dependent on narco-dollars. The 
     program would disrupt the drug trade by pressuring kingpin 
     organizations, confiscating their drugs, seizing their 
     assets and eradicating drug crops.
       To accomplish these objectives, the president is asking 
     Congress for $237 million for international drug control and 
     criminal justice programs next fiscal year. These programs 
     represent a long-term commitment to reducing international 
     drug trafficking and providing aid and technical expertise to 
     nations committed to controlling their own drug problems.
       International drug control is not just a law enforcement 
     endeavor. It also involves building healthy economies and 
     democratic institutions like honest judiciaries, professional 
     police and elected governments responsive to the will of the 
     people. This will be money well spent.
       The administration's new strategy will enlist support from 
     a variety of multilateral organizations. This effort will 
     cost the U.S. taxpayer little but pay big dividends. Public 
     support overseas will add urgency and momentum to cooperation 
     by foreign governments. Multilateral institutions can 
     complement U.S. efforts and gain access to areas of the world 
     where our influence is limited.
       We will expand efforts to get the United Nations--
     particularly the U.N. Drug Control Program--the Organization 
     of American States and other regional and ad hoc groups more 
     actively involved. For the first time, we are engaging the 
     international financial institutions in drug control efforts. 
     We will ask that they support sustainable development 
     programs in key drug countries to create permanent economic 
     alternatives to drug production and trafficking.
       Like most global issues, drugs are not a matter of partisan 
     ideology but of shared interest. The issue straddles the 
     domestic and foreign policy communities and thus must be 
     addressed by both.
       Although American public and congressional sentiment about 
     crime is running high, Congress last year cut funding for 
     programs to control the flow of drugs entering the United 
     States. Many of those programs needed to be overhauled and 
     some frankly needed to be cut. We cannot, however, carry out 
     our new policies without a well-focused U.S. commitment and 
     adequately funded programs.
       International drug trafficking is growing, and foreign 
     narcotics syndicates look first to the U.S. market. Survey 
     data announced Jan. 30 showing a resurgence of drug use among 
     American teen-agers should signal a warning. If drug 
     production and trafficking are left unchallenged at their 
     international sources, they will overwhelm our ability to 
     defend against drug abuse and crime here at home.

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