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http://www.bangkokpost.com/180302_News/18Mar2002_news03.html
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WAR ON TERRORISM
Wa drug cartel in US sights
Burma must act or risk intervention
Alan Dawson
The United States has declared the Wa drug dealers are important targets in the war
on terrorism, a significant policy change that could put the Burma-based narcotics
cartel in the US bullseye.
Diplomatic sources in Bangkok said it was clear US policy in the region is quickly
evolving, and will put pressure on Burma to strike fast and hard against drug kingpin
Wei Hsueh-kang or risk intervention from outside.
In a separate development, the American military commander in the Pacific, Adm
Dennis Blair, stressed the importance of close US-Thai relations.
``Thailand is critical to our efforts'' in combatting drug trafficking and in
international
peace-keeping, he told US senators.
The key change in US policy came last week, in a separate testimony by two senior
diplomats to a US senate committee.
Rand Beers, assistant secretary of state for drug and law enforcement, and Francis
Taylor, ambassador at large for counter- terrorism, said terrorism and drugs are
increasingly linked. Often, drug gangs raise money for terrorists, as well as try to
weaken target nations by flooding them with drugs.
The most significant part of their announcement designated the United Wa State
Army _ for the first time _ as ``a terrorist group with known links to drug trafficking
around the world''. Before last week, Washington considered the UWSA only as a
drug gang.
``The UWSA controlled major drug producing areas in Burma and used the proceeds
to carry out an insurgency against the Burmese government,'' Mr Beers told the
senate judiciary committee's sub-committee on technology, terrorism and
government information.
``A ceasefire agreement granted the UWSA enough autonomy to continue drug
trafficking for profit,'' he said.
The testimony was not the first time US officials have linked the war on terrorism to
drugs, as well as weapons proliferation.
But it marks the first time that a drug-trafficking cartel has been re-designated as a
terrorist organisation.
So far, the US has not officially put the UWSA on its list of known terrorist groups.
Last week's testimony was a strong indication such a move is in the works.
Diplomatic sources in Bangkok said they were not surprised.
``For a couple of months, it has been clear the war on terrorism has a much wider
scope than just overthrowing the Taliban'' in Afghanistan, said one official.
``So far as we are concerned, Burma will put the Wa out of the drug business, or the
Americans will get directly involved.''
Adm Blair was reporting to the key senate armed services committee, a chief
overseer of the US military. ``Thailand will continue to be our key ally in Southeast
Asia,'' he told the senators.
He drew a strong link between Operation Cobra Gold and the bilateral US- Philippine
operation called Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder), which has put US soldiers in an
advisory role against the Abu Sayyaf. The two operations are known jointly as Team
Challenge 2002 by the US military.
Cobra Gold will still have three participants this year _ Thailand, the US and
Singapore _ but dozens of observers from 13 countries _ 14 if Vietnam picks up its
invitation.
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� Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2002
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