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| Direct U.S. Aid to Colombia Likely |
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Posted by FoM on March 23, 2002 at 09:16:57 PT By Andrew Selsky, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press 
Washington appears closer than ever to directly helping Colombia in its war against guerrillas, but critics warn that such a move could lead to growing aid demands in the future.President Bush and Colombia's leader were to meet Saturday at an Andean summit in Lima, Peru, two days after the Bush administration asked Congress to end restrictions that limit U.S. military assistance to Colombia to counter-narcotics activities. Lawmakers were also considering a request for an additional $29 million to help Colombia combat terrorist kidnappings and reinforce its police. With Colombia hanging on the precipice of a bloodier civil war, the country's armed forces chief urged further action from Washington. "If the United States has decided to declare war on terrorism, it should combat terrorism in the whole world, and Colombia is the country where most terrorist actions are carried out," Gen. Fernando Tapias said Friday. President Andres Pastrana asked the United States to allow U.S.-donated helicopters and U.S.-trained counternarcotics troops to be used for battling guerrillas -- whether or not they're involved in narcotics production. The Bush administration's new proposal calls for U.S. funds to be used "to support a unified campaign against narcotics trafficking, terrorist activities, and other threats to (Colombia's) national security." There are no plans to involve U.S. troops in combat. U.S. officials have classified Colombia's three main illegal armed groups as terrorist organizations. Since peace talks collapsed here last month, guerrillas have intensified attacks against the South American country's infrastructure -- bombing electrical and communications towers, bridges and reservoirs. Critics of broader aid from Washington see a Pandora's Box opening. They note that Colombia's military has a blemished human rights record, and that some of its members maintain secret links to an outlawed right-wing paramilitary group. Adam Isacson of the Center for International Policy in Washington said the proposal clearly broadens the number of targets in Colombia and "runs the risk of opening the door to large-scale aid increases in future years." But so far, Washington has been slow to provide hot-ticket items on Colombia's wish list. Pastrana has called for a renewal of the Andean Trade Preferences Act -- which lowered trade barriers to products from Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia -- after it expired in December. Although Bush has supported a renewal, the proposal is bogged down in Congress. Pastrana also wants a resumption of U.S. help in the interdiction of drug-smuggling flights. Those missions were suspended last year after a Peruvian jet, guided by a CIA-operated surveillance plane, shot down a civilian plane over Peru, mistaking it for a possible drug-smuggling flight. An American missionary and her daughter were killed. White House National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice told reporters in Washington this week that no announcement about a resumption of interdictions would be made during Bush's trip. Colombia's biggest daily newspaper said Friday that Bush was coming to the meeting in Peru with little more than good intentions. "Bush is coming with empty hands," the newspaper, El Tiempo, said in its lead editorial. Source: Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site: Colombia Drug War News US Seeks to Protect Colombia Pipeline Bush Seeks $27B More for Terror War Oil a Key to U.S. Role in Colombia Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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Comment #1 posted by tetraktys on March 23, 2002 at 10:49:46 PT:
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| It is not new that U.S is trying to fight a war that is not a US problem, and neither a World Security problem. Since 16th century, the genocides began in all ĻAmericanĻ territory. From Canada, to Chile. Killing and put it in the people of this lands to slaves, the imperislism had begun. Actually we have a problem: the lost of historic memory. Now we donīt kill directly, but de rich countrys are rich because the poorness of our brothers, our equals. The Empire expects that everyone grows at the same time, and in the same way. But thatīs impossible, couse we are different. We have diferent historys, diferent cultures and diferent way to interpretate the world. Diferent ways of producing. Ethnic plurality. Cultural diversity.
Also, we have to remember the really terrorism: the state terrorism: the US terrorism. This comment could be explayed, but that would be too long, so if you like to continue this topic, contact me...
Excuse me per my english. My first language is spanish, and im not very good with the writing... im better reading, but anyway... Why donīt the world language is the spanish??= US Imperialism... contact me. [ Post Comment ] |
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