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| US Halts Anti-Drug Aid To Colombia |
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Posted by CN Staff on May 09, 2002 at 17:58:53 PT By Jeremy McDermott, BBC Correspondent in Colombia Source: BBC News 
The Colombian authorities have launched an investigation into expenditure at the anti-narcotics police after the US suspended aid to the unit, alleging that some $2m had been diverted from a bank account provided to cover administrative expenses. A US Embassy source said that further funds to the account would not be released until the matter had been resolved. The head of the anti-drug police, General Gustavo Socha, said that several officers had already been retired over the matter and that the anti-narcotics operation would continue unhampered. The incident is embarrassing for both the Colombian and US governments as President Bush increases aid to this beleaguered South American nation - now the third largest recipient of American military aid in the world after Israel and Egypt. Mr Bush wants to broaden his war on terrorism to include Colombia, as three of the country's warring factions are on Washington's terrorism list. However, accusations of police corruption will provide more fuel to opponents of further involvement in Colombia's bloody civil conflict. Several US congressmen have said there is little to show for the billion dollars of aid former President Bill Clinton granted to Colombia. And, they say, further commitment could simply drag America into another Vietnam. Note: Colombia is the third-largest recipient of US military aid. Newshawk: Charlie Related Articles & Web Site: Colombia Drug War News No Sanctuary From Colombian War US Finds a Word for Military Aid to Colombia The Colombia Quandary - Patrick Leahy Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #5 posted by goneposthole on May 09, 2002 at 21:45:40 PT |
| 2,000,000/1,500,000,000 equals 2/1,500 or 1/750 or approximately 0.1333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333%
or a little more than a tenth of a penny for every hundred bucks. They haven't learned how to get away with the real money. It takes time for those things to happen. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by dddd on May 09, 2002 at 20:24:19 PT |
| ....Although,,I do consider the BBC above average in reporting news,,,..I have zero trust in the US empire,,and I do NOT believe that this "halt",in anti-drug aid,is anything more than a ploy,,,a custom tailored deceptive charade! ....If the public is lead to believe that the US empire is keeping a close eye on the billions of taxpayers dollars,,then ,,when the next years budget has billions in "aid" for Colombia,,Sheeple will assume that they have a government that is very careful about how the billions are being used.....As far as we know,from this article, ,2 million bucks were used in a questionable manner.... Two million sounds like alot of money,(actually,it is alot of money),,, but who can tell me what percent of 1 Billion,2 million is?... ..I believe this "halt",in US aid,,is about like busting someone for misusing a nickel out of a hundred bucks!....dddd [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by Lehder on May 09, 2002 at 20:21:18 PT |
If Bush were smart and called for the re-legalization of cannabis, he would be expelled from office. He would be ruined by revelations of criminal corruption and personal degeneracy prepared long ago and waiting. http://www.ackland.org/tours/classes/westall.html If he were to call off US petrol-imperialism in Colombia he would be killed. His father would probably be in on the assassination, if he's smart, to save his own skin. I see in the newspaper that Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill has requested that the national debt be increased by $750 billion beyond the present $5.95 trillion. The increase is needed to avert an unprecedented default on debt. Congress wrangles over it at this moment as we pray for all their good fortunes. Remember the big surplus? How much are we spending on terrorists? On drug wars? On crooked Colombian cops? With smarts like these our economy will be reduced to manufacturing rolling papers for Latin America, and we'll be damn glad of the income, probably paid to us in bananas. At least the Greeks were smart enough to look up. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by null on May 09, 2002 at 18:28:32 PT |
| The head of the anti-drug police, General Gustavo Socha, said that several officers had already been retired over the matter and that the anti-narcotics operation would continue unhampered. gee... i would mind "being retired" with $2m to ease the pain... and as for it being another potential Vietnam... man. [self editing occurs here] i typed a great deal about that thought, but decided it much better not to post it. suffice it to say... see "the wall" in D.C. if you never have. it has a lot to say... [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on May 09, 2002 at 18:26:40 PT |
| If Bush were smart, he'd cut off this Colombia business by calling it a big fiasco started by CLinton. [ Post Comment ] |
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