Pastrana seeks aid in Washington

Pastrana wants the restrictions on $1bn of US military aid lifted

By Jeremy McDermott the BBC's correspondent in Colombia

Colombian President Andres Pastrana is in Washington with the head of his armed forces General Fernando Tapias.

The mission is to persuade the US Congress to lift restrictions on military aid to Colombia, currently limited to the war on drugs.

Pastrana says the quest for peace failed due to rebel intransigence

As the country suffers a wave of rebel bombings, the Colombians are trying to establish their country as another front in the war on terrorism.

President Pastrana began his charm offensive with an editorial in the Washington Post entitled "High stakes in Colombia", in which he outlined how the quest for peace during his administration failed due to rebel intransigence and that now there was no option but to fight.

He likened Colombia's struggle to that of the US against al-Qaeda and has a recent rash of rebel car bombings which have killed dozens of civilians in the last month to prove his point.

US reservations

He wants the restrictions on a billion dollars of US military aid granted by former President Bill Clinton lifted, so that it can be used to contain the latest guerrilla offensive.

But the US Congress has reservations.

As always, there is the shadow of Vietnam hanging over the American psyche.

There are fears that further commitment in Colombia could drag America into the 40-year civil conflict.

Wrong hands

Another problem is the outlawed right-wing paramilitaries.

There is enough proof of links between elements of the Colombian armed forces in the paramilitaries for American law makers to fear that US military aid might end up in the wrong hands.

President Pastrana is due to meet President George W Bush on Thursday.

Mr Bush has already urged Congress to lift the restrictions on US aid.

President Pastrana might be hoping that he can persuade his opposite number in Washington to get out the cheque book again.