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| White House to Increase Aid to Colombia |
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Posted by FoM on March 12, 2002 at 07:20:38 PT By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos Source: FoxNews.com 
While the United States has spent millions of dollars on its interminable war on drugs in Colombia, the Bush administration is preparing to take the battle one step further by giving military aid to the Colombian government for counter-insurgency efforts.Critics say the White House is using the war on terror to expand its drug war policy in Colombia, despite the fact that the violent rebels there have very little to do with international terrorism, Al Qaeda or sleeper cells poised to attack America. "I think trying to expand the war on terrorism here is redefining what a terrorist threat is," said Charles Pena, a foreign policy expert for the Cato Institute. "We started with Al Qaeda, now it seems to encompass everybody." Colombia is a major supplier of cocaine and heroin to the world through three violent guerilla insurgencies, the strongest being the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. The U.S. government has spent $1.3 billion on anti-drug resources, including air and ground interdiction and crop dusting, economic development and judicial reform over the last two years. The "Plan Colombia" aid package was first signed by the Clinton administration. Bush is asking for $500 million more for 2003. The White House is also seeking a $106 million increase for a total of $731 million for the Andean Counterdrug Initiative for Colombia and surrounding nations battling the heavy narcotics trade. But the administration is prepared to take its anti-drug policy a step further by moving U.S. policy beyond counter-drug efforts. In February, Secretary of State Colin Powell told members of Congress that Bush was interested in seeking $100 million in military aid in part to protect Colombia’s oil pipeline, which has been repeatedly attacked by leftist rebels. The House passed a resolution by voice vote last week encouraging Bush to push legislation that would give him the authority to help the Colombian government go after FARC and the other guerrilla groups wreaking havoc on the country. The vote followed the collapse earlier this month of three-and-a-half years of talks between Colombian President Andres Pastrana and FARC. Linking Colombian insurgents with the war on terrorism, Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., said, "We have an extremely volatile situation in our own hemisphere that cannot be ignored any longer: The threat against democracy is in Colombia." Not everyone agreed. Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., who voted against the measure, said Colombia "is not part of the internationally-supported campaign to dismantle Al Qaeda and other international terrorist networks." After the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush said the United States would aggressively pursue terrorists and those who support them, and has deliberately left the definition of terrorist open to later interpretation as the war proceeded. Since then, the United States has frozen assets of those not only linked with Al Qaeda, which has been accused of the Sept. 11 attacks, but of various groups tied to extremist Muslims, anti-Zionists, anti-Hindus and even a socialist Basque separatist organization in Spain. Stephen Johnson, a Latin American expert for the Heritage Foundation, said it's imperative that the U.S. get involved with protecting the Colombian government from FARC, which has had ties with the Irish Republican Army, pro-Palestinian Hamas and terrorist groups in Mexico. "The fact of the matter is, not only are there terrorist activities associated with FARC, but they are what you would call a sophisticated drug cartel, so they really have the combined characteristics of being a mafia, drug traffickers and guerrillas," said Johnson. "It may not be Al Qaeda, and it may not be affiliated with Al Qaeda, but it is a terrorist organization and has the potential to do some damage." Sean McCormack, a White House spokesman, said the increased aid for Colombia is a continuing effort to stop the flow of drugs from that part of the word and help an embattled country. It has nothing to do with the war on terror and he disagreed that the administration might be pushing for more aid there under the guise of the war. "These are completely separate issues, assisting Colombia in its counter-narcotics efforts and other efforts we've undertaken lately are in the national U.S. interests," he said. "Any assistance we give is in that context, regardless of the war on terrorism." But now that Afghanistan is seemingly out of the heroin trade – in 2000 it produced 70 percent of the world’s consumption, with profits going to the Taliban and Al Qaeda activities – Colombia could work to fill the void, experts point out. The connection hasn't been lost on the White House entirely. A series of recent TV ads sponsored by the National Office of Drug Control Policy linked casual drug use in the U.S. to funding cartel murders in Colombia, and terrorists throughout the world. But critics warns against an attempt to counter drug use in the United States by linking it to the war on terror, or to use that as an excuse to pursue the drug war and protect American oil companies that have stake in the pipeline. "I don’t think anyone can prove the connection between Colombia and Al Qaeda," said Pena. "With every step we are more removed from the original threat." Source: FoxNews.com Related Articles & Web Site: Colombia Drug War News Get Out of Colombia Oil a Key to U.S. Role in Colombia Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #7 posted by qqqq on March 13, 2002 at 01:14:48 PT |
| .........I'm afraid we will never be allowed to see another Vietnam..EJ is right on ;"
The cultural antiwar movement was as important as the political one.". .....but a cultural movement such as that will never be allowed to occur again.The political/military pigs learned their lesson about controling the media,and true information.........The sad truth is that the government pretty much owns the national press/media....The truth about what the military is up to,is no longer availiable....I trust the government about as much as I trust dubya and cheney......it's an absurd circus of the tragically bizzarre,,to think there are multitudes of people out there ,,,, who actually believe what they hear on 'Meet the Press',,or,'This Week with Sam and Cokie'. .................. the world of tomorrow looks pretty bleak....if you're kind of old,,you're sorta lucky...I have trouble imagining the world 40 years from now..............God is the key to understanding it all.....JAH is no secret [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by SWAMPIE on March 12, 2002 at 18:38:16 PT |
| 15-BULLET Semi-automatic with 10 extra loaded clips to go with it.Come into MY home without knocking,and that's what you'll have to greet you!!!A GOOD START!!!P.S. The POLICE around here know that I'm NOT a LOOSE CANNON!!!I got robbed,and they told me that "citizens' justice" is O.K.as long as you are defending your family.They know I smoke MJ and don't care about that.Most cops can be cool if you tell them the truth and are real about it.Don't invite them in to look at your stash,though.LOL!!! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on March 12, 2002 at 15:10:12 PT |
| Henry Hyde, R-Ill., said, "We have an extremely volatile situation in our own hemisphere that cannot be ignored any longer: The threat against democracy is in Colombia." *************************** While some work to keep us from being dragged down the proverbial "slippery slope" of joining Colombia in its problem with FARC, others, namely Mr. Hyde, want to go skiing down it. Just label them terrorists. Its the new magic word. All it takes to be a terrorist is to annoy the US Government. They are tired of following that stinkin Constitution, and that dammned bill of rights. Cant we just institute the Police State now?? We're tired of playin by the rules. *Poof!* Those medical pot smokers in california: Terrorists. *Poof!* Hemp advocates : Terrorists. Wonder when handgun rights advocates will be labled terrorists. Thats when the seriousness will hit home, and it will be late in the game when it happens. The War on Drugs FAILED to get the desired national unity on the hatred of drugs issue, but the attacks have done the trick. Team Bush though wants to maintain the fervor of the masses and substitute "terror" with "drugs". Like they are a group of Pavlovs to a nation of trainable dogs. hence the stupid ads we keep seeing. Its fascism. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by Tigress58 on March 12, 2002 at 09:44:15 PT |
| What was that policy that Captain Kirk would site on Star Trek? Something about non-interference with the evolution of other worlds, and their cultures. We should have a national policy of non-interference with other cultures, political governments, and countries. Columbia is politically oppressed, and the people are involved in a civil war with the government, in an attempt to gain power over a corrupt government, and want to form a new government. Those that are fed and taken care of are the military members killing their own people. I hope the people win! And more power to them. South America has been at battle since the Spainards landed and forced the Catholic religion down their throats. It's time to stop the interference. America has NO business in Columbia. The oil belongs to the people, not a commercial super corporation. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by schmeff on March 12, 2002 at 09:33:17 PT |
| According to Al Giordano's reporting at narconews.com, (see previous thread: Get out of Columbia) voters in Columbia on Sunday took p4me's advice and
got rid of a heap 'o the incumbents. Smaller and independent parties now control both the House and Senate. Third Parties?? How will the U$A quell this outbreak of democracy? For surely it must be eliminated. It is not their democracy that is of value, it is our demokracy. Heil Bush! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by E_Johnson on March 12, 2002 at 09:07:58 PT |
| Well if Colombia has to be the new Vietnam, I hope the demonstrations and music and humor will be as good as in the last Vietnam. The cultural antiwar movement was as important as the political one. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by goneposthole on March 12, 2002 at 08:42:28 PT |
| If someone wanted everthing that you have and would do anything to get it, you would have to bar the door to keep them from doing so. Colombia should bar the door. "The threat against democracy is in Colombia."- Henry Hyde Who is threatening democracy in Colombia? If you had a patch of ground, and somebody wanted to drill for oil or extract some other resource, would you let them take it all and not pay you? A terrorist is a person who won't allow you to steal everything he has. (my definition) [ Post Comment ] |
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