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| U.S. Looks To Loosen Aid Regs for Colombia |
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Posted by FoM on March 15, 2002 at 18:02:30 PT By Eli J. Lake, UPI State Department Correspondent Source: United Press International 
The Bush Administration will formally ask Congress next week to loosen restrictions on U.S. military aid to Colombia to meet requests from President Andres Pastrana's government to use American military aid for counter terrorism.State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Friday the administration was asking Congress to "seek new and more explicit legal authorities for State and Defense Department assistance to Colombia, to support the government of Colombia's unified campaign against narcotics trafficking, terrorist activities and other threats to its national security." Current restrictions on U.S. military assistance to Colombia limit American assistance to counter-narcotics activities only. But since Pastrana last month began a campaign to drive the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, from a safe haven created for negotiations, U.S. officials have said they are seeking support for Pastrana's fight against terrorism. "If we get these authorities, that will put us in a position to consider some of the additional requests from Colombia, such as using existing U.S. equipment or U.S.-trained brigades in a joint role against counter-narcotics and terrorism," Boucher said Friday. Since 2000, the United States has provided $1.7 billion in mainly military aid to Colombia for fighting the drug war. Recent U.S. estimates on the coca crop (the precursor for street cocaine) show that the land area in Colombia where it has grown has actually increased in the past year. In November, Pastrana formally asked President Bush for the authority to use U.S. military equipment, U.S.-trained Colombian personnel and intelligence. But the administration did not make the request a priority until last month when FARC began a new round of strikes on targets outside of Bogota and kidnapped Colombian lawmakers and a presidential candidate. "Colombia is not part of the global war on terrorism, but terrorist attacks are a serious threat to Colombia's democratic institutions," Boucher said. To that end, last month the Pentagon sped the delivery of spare parts to the Colombian military and also increased the level of intelligence information shared with the country's military. But strict Congressional prohibitions still restrict the type of intelligence the United States can share, particularly if it relates to the field positions of the FARC or other rebel groups. The United States also is restricted from sending more than 400 military and 400 civilian advisers to Colombia at any given time. The law requires also the U.S. army not to support any Colombian military unit with links to Colombian paramilitary units. Source: United Press International Related Articles & Web Site: Colombia Drug War News U.S. Looks To Loosen Colombian Aid Limits Get Out of Colombia Administration Won't Send US Troops To Colombia Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #2 posted by Patrick on March 16, 2002 at 05:40:36 PT |
| Or in the case the coca plants or the drug war hysteria? "Since 2000, the United States has provided $1.7 billion in mainly military aid to Colombia for fighting the drug war. Recent U.S. estimates on the coca crop (the precursor for street cocaine) show that the land area in Colombia where it has grown has actually increased in the past year." Your tax dollars or $1.7 billion in mainly military aid? Sheep really don't care which way they are led. At least people can still vote. HA [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by dddd on March 16, 2002 at 01:59:30 PT |
| ..Domination Covert International Criminal Action.....yes,,now that the Sheeple have been flummixed and fooled into a false sense of patriotism,,,somehow believing that the absurd,secret bomb-fest in Afghanistan,is a "war".... ..it is not a "war",,,it is an illegal police action,,and now,,somehow people have no real problem with the idea of the US acting as a self appointed law enforcement army,("anti-terror")...... ...Who's gonna say anything when more troops are sent to Colombia???How many?,,Any casualties???.,,NO ONE WILL KNOW,,because the military/government has achieved almost complete control of information/news...The Sheeple are conditioned to the terms of secrecy and "classified information"...part of the War on Terror ya know......homeland security and all....................I think "Homeland Security",is a chilling term,and concept,,they can do anything they want,and get away with it,as long as it has the "War on Terror",,or "Homeland Security" label..........................."For the Children" is out now.......dddd [ Post Comment ] |
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