The Nation - News from Feb. 8, 1989

The Bush Administration is preparing a major drug interdiction plan that will put “several hundred” U.S. troops in South America to destroy drug laboratories, NBC News reported. Citing unidentified Pentagon officials, NBC reported that the troops would be Special Operations commandos who will be placed in several South American nations. A Defense Department source, speaking on grounds of anonymity, said the Pentagon has named two Coast Guard admirals to leadership posts in the expanded drug interdiction mission as called for in the 1989 Defense Authorization Act. The Pentagon also anticipates placing Customs Service officials in key roles, the source said.