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| Administration Won't Send US Troops To Colombia |
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Posted by FoM on March 08, 2002 at 10:03:49 PT By Jim Burns, CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer Source: CNSNews.com 
Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that the Bush administration wants to help train and equip Colombian armed forces in the civil war against the FARC rebels. But he said the U.S. will not be sending troops there.During testimony at a House Budget Committee hearing Thursday, Powell pointed to the administration's request to help the Colombian forces so they can protect a key oil pipeline. This is the same pipeline that FARC rebels attacked last year, shutting it down for 240 days. "There may be more things we want to do, not to put U.S. troops in Colombia, but to give us greater flexibility to assist the government in fighting this challenge, which threatens their democracy," Powell said. Earlier this week, the House approved a resolution calling on President Bush to expand U.S. involvement in Colombia, which remains 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. 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. Complete Title: Powell: Administration Won't Send US Troops To Colombia Source: CNSNews.com Related Articles & Web Sites: SOA Watch Colombia Drug War News House Approves Resolution Calling For More Aid CIA and School of the Americas Backyard Terrorism - Guardian Unlimited Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #1 posted by DdC on March 09, 2002 at 14:42:38 PT |
| The Hypocrisy of the Peace Process http://www.colombiareport.org/colombia103.htm Plan Kentucky: How would we like it? [ Post Comment ] |
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