Agent Green and the US war on Drugs

Since 2000 under the Clinton administration, the US department of Agriculture was working with Colombian government officials in order to institute and implement a plan of blanket spraying 1000's of acres of rainforest in order to kill Coca (cocaine producing) plants. The main chemical being used was glyphosate, more commonly known as "roundup", which was blanketed over high yield areas in the dense Colombian rainforest. Although these areas are said to be uninhabited, it was common knowledge that not only indigenous tribes lived in these areas but also small villages existed which housed the various growers (by the way those kids are standing next to a coke plant). Because of the potential to inadvertently harm innocent people, and much to the tone of Silent Spring, the Colombian government worked to identify a natural fungus that is harmless to people but is a natural herbicide and killer of the coca plant. The fungus, Fusarium oxysporum, is being tested by the US for use and apparently is quite indiscriminate in its damage killing all types of plants. Despite its low specificity, Agent Green's use is being lobbied in both Colombia and the United States and is probably going to be used. To Read More Visit :http://www.americas.org/item_294