House Approves Resolution Calling For More US Aid |
Posted by FoM on March 07, 2002 at 11:45:47 PT By Jim Burns, CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer Source: CNSNews.com The House has approved a resolution calling on President Bush to expand U.S. involvement in Colombia, which is bogged down in civil war. Recently, peace talks between the Colombian government and the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (known as FARC) collapsed and the fighting intensified. Many in Congress see cooperation with Colombian President Andres Pastrana as the key to ending the war. But Pastrana is expected to lose Colombia's May presidential election. Colombia is one of the biggest recipients of U.S. aid, but under current law, that aid can be used only to fight drug trafficking. Rep. Benjamin Gilman (R-N.Y.), former chairman of the House International Relations Committee, believes a change in U.S. policy is needed because the Colombian civil war is threatening American national interests. "Bogota, the capital of Colombia, is only three hours from Miami," said Gilman. "The FARC has attacked cities, towns, police stations, bridges, dams and power lines all across Colombia since the peace talks ended last month. Let there be no mistake, the FARC are terrorists, financed with illicit drug money," he said. Gilman thinks America needs to restore "clarity" to its foreign policy towards Columbia. "We must provide the anti-kidnapping, Colombian police units with helicopters to rescue victims, including Americans, in the often hard-to-reach terrain, and U.S. aid to the Colombian military should be anti-terrorist assistance," he said. But Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) disagrees. He was the only House member to speak out against the resolution on the grounds that Colombia could turn into another Vietnam. "Let us not hide behind euphemisms. A so-called war on terrorism in Colombia is simply a set of codes words for the U.S. to become even more deeply engaged in a counterinsurgency war that has been going on for nearly 40 years," McGovern said. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, speaking on Wednesday, said the Bush administration remains engaged in talks with members of Congress about Colombia. "There are many members of Congress who have some thoughts about whether that law should be changed. The administration will talk to those members. I can't indicate to you the administration has reached any conclusions yet, but Complete Title: House Approves Resolution Calling For More US Aid To Colombia Source: CNSNews.com Related Articles & Web Site: Colombia Drug War News Hill Stance on Colombia Aid Shifts Plan Colombia: This Will Be Worse Than Vietnam Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
Comment #2 posted by FoM on March 07, 2002 at 13:03:41 PT |
I'm sorry but I don't know how anyone here can help. This is a message board and we talk about drug policy reform but I don't know how to answer questions like yours. I'll leave this comment and yours up for a little while but I think it is best that I remove it and I wish you luck. I don't even know a link to give you that could help or I would. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #1 posted by JANNIS ROMERO on March 07, 2002 at 12:53:23 PT:
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THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE I WAS ABLE TO PUT SOMETHING IN WRITING. MY NAME IS JANNIS ROMERO AND I AM 19 YEARS OLD. I HAVE LIVED SINCE THE AGE OF 5 IN NEW YORK CITY BUT MY MOTHER NEVER SET MY PAPERS IN ORDER. MY TWO COUSINS WHICH WHERE BORN IN THE USA GREW UP IN COLOMBIA. THEY WERE BEING RAISED BY MY GRANDMOTHER. MY GRANDMOTHER PAST AWAY AND THE GIRLS WERE LEFT ALONE IN COLOMBIA THEY FEARED FOR THIER LIFE AND I KNEW I HAD TO HELP THEM. I CAME TO COLOMBIA KNOWING THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK. BUT I NEED TO GO BACK. THE USA IS MY LIFE. I DONT EVEN SPEAK SPANISH WELL. AND I AM VERY SCARED TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY. I MISS MY FAMILY MY JOB AND MY DAILY LIFE. I HAVE GONE MANY TIMES TO THE EMBASSY BUT NO ONE WANTS TO HELP ME. IF ANY ONE CAN HELP ME AND GETS THIS EMAIL PLEASE EMAIL ME BACK WITH ADVICE OR HELP. I AM VERY SCARED I HAVE NO JOB AND NO EDUCATION HERE.
THANK YOU
JANNIS ROMERO
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