Instead of ordering an audit, the good general tried to cover his rear flank, denying that he knew anything about the problem until investigators produced a memo proving McCaffrey had, in fact, been told of the irregularities. As McCaffrey moves on to the requisite book and speaking tour, the matter remains under criminal investigation.

A fast-and-loose way with the truth has been a hallmark of the drug czar's office -- with fraudulent claims and blatant manipulation of statistics a standard operating procedure.

Take the statistical sleight of hand McCaffrey's office recently used to turn an unambiguous failure into an apparent success: In 1996, the general set a goal of having 80 percent of young people -- based on the perception of 12th-graders -- consider drugs harmful. But despite his ad blitz, the percent of 12th-graders who look unfavorably on drugs actually dropped for three straight years, falling to 57.4 percent by 1999 -- a far cry from the promised 80 percent.

But this year, the drug czar magically pulled a vastly improved 74 percent drug-disapproval rating out of his hat. How did he do it? Simple. He just changed the rules.

He based his latest figures not on the perceptions of 12th-graders but on the opinions of eighth-graders. I'm only surprised that McCaffrey didn't make sure he hit his goal by switching to kindergartners. I have a feeling that well over 80 percent of them would agree that drugs are "icky."

And like all good illusionists, McCaffrey never revealed how the trick was done -- the switch in criteria wasn't noted anywhere in the drug office's published report. Not only is this misleading, it may also be illegal, since Public Law No. 105-277 requires that when a government agency changes its measuring standards, it must inform Congress.

In announcing his resignation, McCaffrey declared that the fight against drugs "is not a war; it's a cancer affecting American communities."

After steering a billion dollars into the hands of the Colombian army and spearheading the use of paramilitary tactics here at home -- with more armed drug agents, drug raids and drug arrests -- has McCaffrey suddenly seen the light, at long last realizing that drugs are actually a public health issue? Or is he merely trying to rewrite his failed history before anyone else gets to?

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