editorial comment What? Since when does the health of Colombian farmers matter? I mean, we are at war right?

Despite U.S. efforts to eradicate cocaine production in Latin America, Colombia is suspending aerial fumigation along its border with Ecuador.

The decision will concern the Bush administration, which has used Colombia as its primary state in its anti-drug war against the production of cocaine. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe announced the policy change after a meeting with Ecuadorian President Alfredo Palacio. Uribe visited the Colombian capital Bogota on Monday for a meeting with Palacio over a free trade agreement with the United States.

According to EFE news agency following the meeting Urbie announced, "For the moment, there will be no more fumigation in that area, in response to the suggestion of President Palacio."

Ecuador determined that the U.S.-supplied herbicide, glyphosate, was harming people, livestock and agriculture food crops on the Ecuadorian side of the 363-mile-long border.

Uribe reserved his options, telling reporters that the two governments would periodically review the program "to see if it is possible in that border area to completely destroy the drug through manual eradication. If not, we'll have to resort once again to fumigation."

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