cannabisnews.com: U.S. Reassesses Colombia Aid 





U.S. Reassesses Colombia Aid 
Posted by FoM on September 09, 2001 at 21:31:04 PT
By Alan Sipress, Washington Post Staff Writer
Source: Washington Post
As Secretary of State Colin L. Powell leaves today for South America, U.S. officials are considering how to expand their training of Colombian security forces with the battle against cocaine cultivation and trafficking spreading from southern Colombia to other parts of the country, administration officials said.Among the options under consideration is training a new Colombian anti-narcotics battalion beyond the three that already have received instruction under a year-old, $1.3 billion U.S. aid package, a senior administration official said.
Another alternative would be training an existing military battalion in fighting drug trafficking, but the official said support for that option could be tempered by U.S. concerns about the human rights record of regular Colombian army forces.Administration officials stressed that the training would support only the "existing mission" of combating the drug trade, and not designed to bolster the Colombian government's long-running war against leftist rebels.A final call about whether to step up U.S. military training would likely be made over the next four to six months, with an eye toward winning congressional approval for the funding for fiscal 2003."We have certainly been talking to the government of Colombia about it, but no decision has been made," a senior State Department official said.This consideration comes as some top Pentagon officials are apprehensive that the United States could be drawn deeper into Colombia's 37-year-old civil war.The drug trade provides enormous profits to the guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary groups fighting in the conflict. Officials outside the Pentagon said they were confident their counterparts in the Defense Department would feel more comfortable as they became more familiar with the counter-narcotics program.The concerns are "raised by civilian guys in the Pentagon who are new on the job, who are getting their feet on the ground," a State Department official said. "Once they go to Colombia and see how it's done, they'll feel better about it."He and other U.S. officials emphasize that the current aid package, composed primarily of transport helicopters and military trainers for the security forces, is aimed at uprooting drug trafficking in Colombia. The country accounts for up to 90 percent of the world's cocaine.Powell's trip to Colombia will follow an overnight visit to Peru for a meeting of the Organization of American States. His trip comes as the Bush administration has been reviewing U.S. policy toward Colombia, where President Andres Pastrana's peace effort is flagging in the face of a well-funded rebel insurgency.The anxiety felt in some parts of the U.S. government was reflected by Peter W. Rodman, assistant defense secretary for international security affairs, who told reporters late last month that the administration was facing "some agonizing decisions" about its Colombia strategy."Are we getting deeper into a conflict or not?. . . . What is at stake?" Rodman said. "I think we as a country are not quite sure where we are heading."He added it was natural that the Bush administration would want to reassess whether the goal of American involvement is solely to curb narcotics or also to help ensure the survival of the Colombian government."I think any new administration would have come in and looked and said, 'Where are we heading there, given the military engagement?' "In his talks with Pastrana, Powell will make clear the Bush administration remains committed to the policy initiated last year by President Bill Clinton, U.S. officials said. The $1.3 billion U.S. aid package formed part of Pastrana's Plan Colombia, which combines an anti-narcotics campaign with development projects."He will tell Pastrana that we support the peace process, that we support Pastrana and that the peace process is a big element both in Pastrana's ability to continue with Plan Colombia and for our ability to support Plan Colombia," another senior State Department official said.U.S. officials said that in Colombia and Peru, Powell will signal the administration's intention to resume anti-drug air patrols, which were suspended in April after an American missionary plane was mistakenly identified by a CIA surveillance plane as a narcotics flight and shot down by a Peruvian jet. Peruvian and Colombian leaders have been pressing for the patrols to resume.But the conditions for restarting the air interdiction program have yet to be set, and no official announcement is expected during Powell's visit, officials said. The Senate intelligence committee is scheduled this week to review a report on the downing of the plane, in which two people were killed.Powell's trip to Bogota, which is expected to include meetings with Pastrana, military officials, leading political figures and human rights groups, comes at a time of mounting uncertainty about the peace process.Officials in Colombia and the United States have grown increasingly uncomfortable with the despeje, the Switzerland-size swath of southern Colombia turned over by Pastrana to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) three years ago as a safe haven for peace talks. Administration officials have accused the FARC rebels in recent weeks of misusing the territory -- for instance, by receiving training in bomb-making, holding kidnapping victims and trading in drugs.Although administration officials said they privately discussed Pastrana's negotiating tactics with him, they said it remains his call whether to renew the despeje by Oct. 6, the government-imposed deadline for deciding its disposition. "This is a Pastrana decision," a senior administration official said. "We're not going to second-guess him."Indeed, Pastrana's peace endeavor could be entering its twilight, since his term will end next year and the candidates running to replace him have criticized his handling of negotiations.At the same time, the ultimate impact of Plan Colombia remains unclear. The United States is just beginning to deliver the 16 Blackhawk transport helicopters that form the centerpiece of American aid. The first three were provided last month -- two for the police and one for the army -- and another three for the army should arrive this week, administration officials said.The balance, all bound for the army, should be delivered by the end of the year, officials said.The United States has already supplied 15 aging Huey helicopters. An additional 25 newly refurbished Hueys should be delivered through next year, officials said.To assist the aerial spraying of drug crops, the administration has promised to augment Colombia's fleet of sprayer airplanes. But the U.S. delivery has fallen behind because the company contracted to supply them has gone bankrupt, U.S. officials said.Administration officials acknowledge that other elements of Plan Colombia, including support for farmers to substitute crops for coca and for improvements in the Colombian judicial system, remain in the early stages.As the crackdown on coca cultivation in southern Colombia has progressed, particularly in Putumayo province, the drug business has rapidly spread elsewhere in the country. Congress is reviewing an administration request for another $882 million in the coming year to address the spillover of drug activity across the Andean region and beyond.A little less than half the funds would go to Colombia, with the remainder designated for six other Latin American countries. The initiative would finance social and economic development, as well as law enforcement and security assistance.The administration is also asking Congress to adjust a limit on Americans working in Colombia as part of the anti-drug effort, which caps U.S. military personnel at 500 and contract employees at 300. Bush officials have agreed to maintain the overall limit of 800, but they say the number of contract employees will have to exceed 300 once Plan Colombia fully ramps up.Note: Anti-Drug Efforts Studied as Powell Visits Bogota. Source: Washington Post (DC) Author: Alan Sipress, Washington Post Staff WriterPublished: Monday, September 10, 2001; Page A01 Copyright: 2001 The Washington Post Company Contact: letters washpost.com Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Colombia Drug War Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/colombia.htmColombia: Man Without a Plan http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10868.shtmlPowell Plans Reassurances Over US Aid http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10864.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on September 10, 2001 at 09:21:57 PT
I'm listening to Ohio
While I'm looking for news I'm listening to Click Radio, which is great, and "Ohio" is playing and I thought it sure speaks a lot of our times for all we've been going through these days. Just wanted to share this. Back to looking for news.
Tom Crosslin & Rolland Rohm Memorial 
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Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on September 10, 2001 at 06:50:49 PT:
"Don't worry...Be happy!"
There was a cute little song by the incredibly talented Bobby McFerrin in the mid 1980's whose title was "Don't worry, be happy!" That title sounds a lot like the crap the Pentagon boys are putting out:This consideration comes as some top Pentagon officials are apprehensive that the United States could be drawn deeper into Colombia's 37-year-old civil war.The drug trade provides enormous profits to the guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary groups fighting in the conflict. Officials outside the Pentagon said they were confident their counterparts in the Defense Department would feel more comfortable as they became more familiar with the counter-narcotics program.The concerns are "raised by civilian guys in the Pentagon who are new on the job, who are getting their feet on the ground," a State Department official said. "Once they go to Colombia and see how it's done, they'll feel better about it."In other words, once the FNG's (F**kin' New Guys) are thoroughly sucked in, they won't have any alternative but go along for the ride. Never mind the fact that this ride is going over the cliffs; they'll 'feel better about it'.Oh, BTW: notice something? The article mentions 'alternatives'. But only the military ones the US favors; not a single freakin' word about recent calls, in Colombia, by Colombians at all levels of society, for legalizacion. As if the concept simply doesn't exist. This is a perfect example of the volunatry blinders the US media wears at the behest of the corporations that seek to make a literal 'killing' in Colombia. And it will be those same media outlets, when the bloodshed starts in earnest, that bemoan the fact that US soldiers and Colombian civs are dying for the DrugWar to 'succeed'.
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Comment #5 posted by rabblerouser on September 10, 2001 at 05:45:07 PT
country
Rodman: "I think we as a country are not quite sure where we are heading."Thank you for the reassuring words!Speak for yourself, sailor.
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Comment #4 posted by dddd on September 10, 2001 at 03:47:56 PT
FoM....
...were you ever the owner of a Country Joe and the Fish album?,,or 8 track?unrelated,,and off topic,,,,,you remember when dubyas old man was prezidunt?,,,,then you should remember Dan Quayle....This guy was vice president of the USunder daddy bush......If you want some astonishingly unbelievable entertainment,,,I highly recommend the following.....you will not be disappointed...ddddhttp://451world.com/i4/quayle.html
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 09, 2001 at 23:38:46 PT
dddd and E. Johnson
I thought of this song. It goes with your thoughts. http://www.olywa.net/sdotctho/vnrag.htm
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Comment #2 posted by dddd on September 09, 2001 at 23:24:56 PT
Right on E.
From what I have seen,,Colombia is perhaps even spookierthan Vietnam......I'm afraid that a major escallation in hi-techdeath from above will be happenning,as the managers of PlanColombia realize that they are running a bit short of time,beforepublic outrage grows,,,,so there will be a major increase in theoffensive,,,a bloody US sponsored slaughter of anything that moves.again.....the worst part,,is that there is limited news about what'sreally happening,,,,the media has been meticulously,and quite carefullymastered here.......they learned alot about the importance of mediacontrol from the Vietnam days......dddd
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Comment #1 posted by E. Johnson on September 09, 2001 at 23:08:22 PT
GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!
God, this all sounds so familiar.We're afraid to trust the Colombians just like we were afraid to trust the South Vietnamese troops. For good reason, because we know that there are penetration issues.And that is ultimately because we don't belong in Colombia any more than we belonged in Vietnam.That's why even when we are working with "our side", they are never really 100% "our side".
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