cannabisnews.com: Bush Vows Stronger Ties to Latin America





Bush Vows Stronger Ties to Latin America
Posted by FoM on August 25, 2000 at 21:37:08 PT
By Terry M. Neal, Washington Post Staff Writer
Source: Washington Post 
George W. Bush vowed today to fight for democracy in and expanded trade with Latin America, and he promised to keep the pressure on Cuba's Fidel Castro, in a speech designed to burnish his foreign policy credentials and showcase his political vision for the oft-troubled region. The subtext of the Texas governor's 27-minute speech at Florida International University was a criticism of the Clinton administration's handling of Latin American issues. 
 He offered a broad rebuke of the White House for failing to procure "fast track" authority from Congress for trade deals with some Latin American countries, sending mixed signals on Cuba policy and ignoring crises in countries such as Colombia until they escalate into emergencies.While he praised Clinton's and Congress's decision to send $1.3 billion in aid to Colombia to help fight the drug trade, he blamed that country's problems in part on an administration that has not given it "the priority and attention it needs" in the first place."Should I become president, I will look south, not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental commitment to my presidency," Bush told the crowd of several hundred cheering international trade and business officials from around the state. "Just as we ended the great divide between East and West, so today we can overcome the North-South divide."Bush's speech was a rejection of isolationism and a continuation of his theme that the United States is better off if Latin America is thriving. Economically vibrant neighbors create markets for American goods and services and reduce immigration pressures, Bush has often said."Those who ignore Latin America do not fully understand America itself," Bush said. "And those who ignore our hemisphere do not fully understand American interests."But the speech had more rhetorical flourish than specifics, as Bush offered only two or three small policy proposals, speeding over them in a few sentences. He proposed $100 million in federal funding for "microcredit" organizations working in Latin America offering non-collateral loans to poor people to help them develop businesses. And he proposed expanding the Tropical Forest Conservation Act by asking Congress to approve a $100 million fund for debt relief for countries that preserve tropical rain forests.Aides said the speech was purposefully light on policy specifics because the goal was more thematic and symbolic in nature. The speech was Bush's second major foreign policy address and the fulfillment of a promise he made in his first speech at the Reagan Library in California late last year to expand on his vision of Latin American relations."This was a big speech about his commitment to the region," said Bush foreign policy adviser Condoleezza Rice. "It was to say that this is going to be an area of priority for his presidency."Rice said extensive policy specifics would have bogged down the speech and distracted from its overall theme. Instead, Bush reiterated his broad priorities: standing firm against Castro, fighting narco-terrorism, further opening borders to trade.Not surprisingly, in this heavily Cuban American community, Bush evoked his most enthusiastic response when he turned the focus to Cuba. Bush characterized Cuba as an international scofflaw grossly out of step with the rest of the region, and he challenged Castro to "surprise the world and adopt the ways of democracy.""Until it frees political prisoners, and holds free elections and allows free speech, I will keep the current [economic] sanctions in place," Bush said.That brought the crowd to its feet, and Bush continued, promising to "revive" a moribund Radio Marti and sprinkling in Spanish phrases while quoting famed exiled Cuban hero Jose Marti: "Man loves liberty . . . even if he does not know he loves it. He is driven by it and flees where it does not exist. ¡La libertad no es negociable!"Bush stressed making diplomacy a priority in Latin America, but he also indicated that he would not likely commit troops to Latin American trouble spots. "Even though I do not advocate the use of American troops in battle, our forces can help the Colombian military," he said at one point.Although the campaign gave reporters briefing papers full of details backing up Bush's proposals and contentions, the lack of specifics at certain points in the speech was striking. For instance, near the beginning of his remarks, Bush said Clinton and Vice President Gore have had "no strategy" in Latin America and had "squandered" opportunities there. "We have seen summits without substance, and reaction instead of action," Bush said without explaining.Afterward, even Rice seemed a bit uncertain. Asked what summits the governor was referring to, she said he was most likely referring to the mid-1990s Summit of the Americas. The larger point, she said, was that there had often been a lack of follow-through on issues such as Chile's entry into the North American Free Trade Agreement – a topic Bush mentioned in his speech.At another point, Bush promised to pursue a "special relationship" with Mexico. But Bush, who met privately with Mexican President-elect Vicente Fox this afternoon in Dallas, was vague on how he would accomplish that, saying only that "our two countries need a meeting at the highest level shortly after the American election." If elected, Bush said he would use that meeting to "keep Mexican-American relations moving forward."After their 45-minute meeting, Bush and Fox told reporters they had discussed a range of topics, including Fox's desire to open up the border between Mexico and the United States. "I made it very clear to Vicente Fox that we will enforce the borders so long as I am the governor and if I am the president," Bush said. "In a humane way, I might add."Gore aides responded angrily that Bush seemed to ignore the fact that it was the current White House that successfully pushed through NAFTA after it floundered under his father's administration. Overall, Gore spokesman Doug Hattaway said today, the Clinton administration had "concluded 270 trade agreements" during its two terms."Governor Bush has shown once again that he is not ready to represent the U.S. on the international stage," Hattaway said. "Just last week, he criticized our own military readiness. And his record as governor consists mostly of ribbon-cutting for new bridges to Mexico."As governor of a large border state, Bush has more knowledge of Mexico than any other foreign country. He has met often with Mexican leaders over the years, and has during his campaign met in Austin with leaders of Colombia and Argentina, aides said today.By Terry M. Neal, Washington Post Staff WriterSaturday, August 26, 2000; Page A06 Source: Washington Post (DC)Contact: letterstoed washpost.comAddress: 1150 15th Street NorthwestWashington, DC 20071© 2000 The Washington Post Company Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/Feedback: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htmRelated Articles: Peru Confirms Drugs-for-Guns Ring http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6825.shtml Brazil Worried of Aid to Colombia http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6815.shtmlAnalysts Debate Mexico President's Open Border http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6806.shtmlCannabisNews Articles On Colombia:http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Colombia 
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Comment #1 posted by Dan B on August 26, 2000 at 07:51:50 PT:
Translations
"Should I become president, I will look south, not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental commitment to my presidency," Bush told the crowd of several hundred cheering international trade and business officials from around the state. "Just as we ended the great divide between East and West, so today we can overcome the North-South divide."Translation: I promise to make American expansion into South America a big priority. Just as we trampled on every non-white citizen between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans here in the United States--going so far as to import people from across the ocean so we could oppress them as well--so will we trample now on our neighbors to the south."Those who ignore Latin America do not fully understand America itself," Bush said. "And those who ignore our hemisphere do not fully understand American interests."Translation: There's OIL down there!"Until it frees political prisoners, and holds free elections and allows free speech, I will keep the current [economic] sanctions in place," Bush said.Translation: I promise to hold Cuba to a higher standard than we have in America."Man loves liberty . . . even if he does not know he loves it. He is driven by it and flees where it does not exist. ¡La libertad no es negociable!"Translation: I am fully cognizant of the need for liberty, I just don't support it."Even though I do not advocate the use of American troops in battle, our forces can help the Colombian military," he said at one point.Translation: I don't realy want to send our troops down there (wink, wink), but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Let's get on the ball and start sending as many troops as possible! Hey, man, there a war down there, and everybody knows the Colombians can't fight it for themselves."Should I become president, I will look south, not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental commitment to my presidency," Translation: I promise to continue expanding the American Empire, as such is our Manifest Destiny!"I made it very clear to Vicente Fox that we will enforce the borders so long as I am the governor and if I am the president," Bush said. "In a humane way, I might add."Translation: We promise to say "I'm sorry" after shooting your citizens.
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