Ashcroft announces new anti-drug initiative

Ashcroft and others argue that the drug trade funds terrorists.

ARLINGTON, Virginia (CNN) -- Calling for more accountability in the war on drugs, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced a new federal effort Tuesday to stem the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States.

"In an era in which we know more than ever before about the ravages of drug abuse, surrender is not -- and cannot be -- an option," Ashcroft said at a news conference. "At a time when we see clearly the evil interdependence between the terrorists that kill American lives and the illegal drugs that steal American potential, surrender to either of these threats is surrender to both."

Ashcroft said Americans spent almost $63 billion on illegal drugs in 2000, and he reiterated President Bush's goal of reducing drug use by 10 percent within two years and 25 percent over the next five years.

The new drug strategy, according to Ashcroft, refocuses resources toward:

Since the September 11 attacks, Ashcroft has sought to link those who spend money on illegal drugs to the financing of terrorism.

"American drug abusers are paying for terrorism against America," Ashcroft said. He said about half the groups listed as terror organizations by the State Department are linked to illicit drug activities.

Ashcroft outlined a relationship of convenience between the two.

"Drug traffickers benefit from the paramilitary skills, the access to weapons and links to other clandestine groups that terrorists can provide. Terrorists, for their part, gain a source of revenue and expertise in money laundering from drug traffickers," Ashcroft said.

As an example of the terrorist-drug dynamic, Ashcroft cited FARC, a guerrilla group battling government forces in Colombia.

He said the group is known to have murdered 13 Americans and kidnapped about 100 others since 1980. FARC controls the processing and cultivation regions of Colombia where 90 percent of the cocaine consumed by Americans originates, according to Ashcroft.

Taken together, federal law enforcement spends about $19 billion a year trying to stop the use and distribution of illegal drugs. In a few weeks, Ashcroft said, the government will announce steps it is taking to help dry up demand for illegal drugs.