105th Congress Report

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1st Session 105132
_______________________________________________________________________


NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1998

R E P O R T

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ON

H.R. 1119

together with

ADDITIONAL AND DISSENTING VIEWS

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]


June 16, 1997.Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
One Hundred Fifth Congress

http://www.infowar.com/survey/h105132/h_rpt_105_132r_ed_c4i.htm

Mexican, Caribbean and South American initiative

The committee continues to support the essential role of
the Department of Defense (DOD) in reducing the flow of illegal
drugs into the United States. To accomplish this mission,
Congress has charged the DOD to act as the single lead federal
agency for the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime
transit of illegal drugs into the United States. In addition,
DOD is to integrate appropriate command, control,
communications, and technical assets of the federal government
into an effective communications network. According to the DOD
Counterdrug Program, the Department supports foreign law
enforcement agencies and military governments by providing
initial detection and monitoring, intelligence, operational
planning assistance, training in tactical procedures and
equipment maintenance, infrastructure improvements, and
logistics/communications support. In this capacity, Congress
granted authority to DOD through section 1004 of the National
Defense Authorization Act for FiscalYear 1991, as amended
(Public Law 101510) and sections 517 and 506(a)(2)(A) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Section 1031 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 1997 (Public Law 104201) expanded DOD authority to provide
equipment and maintenance for the Government of Mexico to aid in its
counterdrug activities. This support was granted conditionally as a
shortterm, limited means of enhancing Mexico's counterdrug
capabilities and was not intended to replace or circumvent the
established foreign assistance authorities or resources of the
Department of State. However, the committee is aware of a provision
included in the Administration's legislative proposal that would
expand current DOD authority to include support for not only Mexico,
but Colombia, Peru and selected Caribbean countries; would increase
the amount of support to $150.0 million over five years; and would
expand the nature of support to include lethal equipment to enhance
the interdiction capability of the recipient nations. The committee
acknowledges the recent success achieved by participating nations in
their combined efforts to stem the production and transfer of illegal
drugs. Specifically, U.S. and regional forces under Operation Laser
Strike successfully interfered with narcotrafficking along air routes
in the Andean region and have caused the price of coca to plummet.
Analysis suggests that the narcotraffickers may have adjusted to this
initiative and have begun to transit cocaine along the rivers of the
Andean region and the Amazon basin, particularly in Peru. Based upon
this presumption, the Administration's proposal outlined above is
focused on an enhanced riverine interdiction plan. While the
committee supports the Administration's strategy to pursue a program
which capitalizes upon the achievements of Operation Laser Strike,
the current proposal is inappropriately resourced and uncoordinated
among the U.S. and regional governments and militaries. The committee
is also concerned with the proposed expansion of DOD authority to
provide funds for a foreign assistance program from within the
Department's counterdrug account. Although the committee continues to
support the mission established by the DOD Counterdrug Program, it
believes that the direct provision of material and assistance to
foreign nations is not a proper utilization of the unique
capabilities offered by DOD. Rather, the Administration's initiative
should be authorized and resourced more appropriately as a part of
the International Narcotics Control Program of the Department of
State. While the proposed legislation advocates a coordinated
management effort between the Departments of Defense and State, the
lack of coordination thus far between the two agencies has manifested
itself in a major disconnect over strategic planning between U.S.
Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and the relevant U.S. embassies. Given
the absence of overall integration in planning among those
responsible for the implementation of the program, the committee
questions the Administration's longterm commitment to this ambitious
riverine strategy.

The committee also notes with concern the assumptions made
by the Administration in developing the enhanced riverine
interdiction plan. Although it seems plausible, there has been
no threat assessment to confirm that narcotraffickers have in
fact shifted their transit routes to the rivers in a magnitude
that would justify such an expansion of DOD authorities and
resources. The relevant U.S. embassies and SOUTHCOM have not
contributed to the proposal a coordinated lessonslearned
evaluation of problems encountered and solutions developed as a
result of previous riverine operations in the region, nor does
the plan include an outcomebased reporting system to measure
the program's success. Further, the committee understands that
the Administration's proposal is based upon the presumed
existence of clear roles and missions within the respective
nations' institutions. On the contrary, longstanding rivalries
are certain to hamper the efforts of the host country military
and national police forces without the establishment of direct
counterdrug authorities to foster interagency cooperation.
In addition, the committee is aware of concerns raised by
the General Accounting Office (GAO) in a February 1997 report
entitled ``Drug Control: LongStanding Problems Hinder U.S.
International Efforts'' (GAO/NSIAD9775). The report concluded
that despite legislation mandating enduse monitoring, past
history has shown that the United States has been unable to
ensure that equipment given to Mexico, Colombia and Peru has
been used by the host nations as intended upon delivery. The
committee is concerned with the transfer of equipment,
especially lethal equipment, to unstable governments struggling
against ``narcoguerrillas'' and other insurgent factions. Also,
given the pervasive influence of powerful drug lords over all
levels of government in the proposed participating countries,
the threat of corruption affecting the use of counterdrug
equipment needs to be more fully addressed by the
Administration. The committee notes the existence of corruption
exhibited most recently in Mexico with the arrest of General
Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, the former Mexican ``drug czar,'' and
by testimony implicating the involvement in drug trafficking of
several other highranking Mexican military leaders.

In light of these concerns, the committee strongly urges
the Administration to reevaluate its enhanced interdiction
plan. Should a threat assessment justify the need for an
ambitious riverine effort, coordination between the Departments
of Defense and State needs to preempt any planning at the
SOUTHCOM/U.S. embassy country team level.