cannabisnews.com: Americans Shot Down Over Peru 2 Killed Americans Shot Down Over Peru 2 Killed Posted by FoM on April 21, 2001 at 07:51:29 PT By Anthony Faiola, Washington Post Foreign Service Source: Washington Post A Peruvian air force jet on a counter-narcotics mission mistakenly shot down a small private plane carrying American missionaries through Peru's Amazon region this morning, a U.S. Embassy spokesman in Lima said.Lima's Radioprogramas radio station and sources close to the incident reported that two people were killed. Veronica Bowers was holding her 7-month-old daughter on her lap when a bullet struck her in the back, killing both her and the child. In the ensuing crash in the jungle town of Pebas, about 700 miles northeast of Lima, the pilot and two other passengers apparently survived. "After carrying out international identification and interception procedure . . . which the pilot ignored . . . the Peruvian Air Force plane opened fire as a last resort," the Defense Ministry said in a communique.Ben Ziff, a U.S. Embassy spokesman in Lima, said: "We deeply regret this tragedy and are in the process of determining the extent of loss of life and injury to the passengers and crew. U.S. Embassy personnel are traveling to the scene to provide all the assistance we can."There were conflicting accounts of exactly how the accident occurred. Mario Justo, chief of the Iquitos airport, told the Associated Press that a single-engine plane belonging to the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism had crashed en route to Iquitos, where he said it was scheduled to arrive at 11:20 a.m. But Peruvian media reports and sources familiar with the crash said the plane appeared to be headed toward Colombia and entered Peruvian airspace from neighboring Brazil. The plane was flying in an area where low-flying drug planes are common and had reportedly not registered a flight plan. Just before 11 a.m., a Peruvian air force counter-narcotics jet intercepted it and attempted contact, according to local media.A source familiar with the situation said the Peruvian air force pilot tried repeatedly to raise the private plane on radio, then attempted to signal the plane to land by tipping its wings and finally by rapidly flying in front of it. After failing to provoke the plane to move into a landing position, the Peruvian pilot apparently fired on the plane.The incident was the second time in a decade that the Peruvian air force has mistaken aircraft carrying U.S. citizens for a plane carrying drugs. In April 1992, one U.S. airman was killed and others injured when the Peruvians shot at an off-course U.S. Air Force transport mistaken for a drug plane. The region where the incident occurred today is a favorite transit route for drug traffickers, and Peru monitors the area with the assistance of U.S. military personnel using radar to spot drug planes. The operation involves U.S. military funding, training and technical support personnel who work side by side with Peruvian military officials at high-tech radar monitoring posts in sparsely populated regions of the Amazon. However, the U.S. Embassy in Lima could not confirm whether U.S. military officials were involved in tracking and spotting the missionaries' plane.Between 1994 and 1997, Peru shot down about 25 suspected drug planes en route from camps in the Amazon region to Colombian cocaine refineries.The actions were the result of former president Alberto Fujimori's tough anti-narcotics policies aimed at reducing trafficking in coca, the raw material used to make cocaine.Peru's military has been in upheaval over the past several months as top ranking officers have been purged after Fujimori left the country amid corruption charges last November. This evening, high ranking civilian politicians called for a detailed explanation from the military on the shoot down. "Obviously, the question that needs to be answered here is why the military took such a drastic decision," Carlos Ferrero, the president of the Peruvian Congress, said in a telephone interview. "We can't request an investigation until we have all the facts, but I think the response was surprising. If you're going to shoot at a plane . . . you better have good reason."Complete Title: Americans Shot Down Over Peru 2 Killed; Missionaries Mistaken for Traffickers Source: Washington Post (DC) Author: Anthony Faiola, Washington Post Foreign ServicePublished: Saturday, April 21, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Washington Post Company Contact: letterstoed washpost.comWebsite: http://www.washingtonpost.com/CannabisNews Articles - Peruhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=peru Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by kaptinemo on April 22, 2001 at 12:55:13 PT: RED ALERT! RED ALERT! Sorry for the seeming histrionics, but the antis have unknowingly handed us a huge weapon against them. Time is of the essence; if we don't exploit it soon, the antis will rtealize their absolutely stunning error and destroy the evidence before the public is made aware of just waht they're really uup to. The antis, true to form, harbor anti-democratic sentiments; few of them are familiar with the Constitution that they swore to 'preserve and defend'.I guess they believe that if they are caught dismembering and urinating upon it, they could plead ignorance of what they were doing. Specious, I know, but so is the entire panoply of arguments favoring the DrugWar.But at the same site, if you click here:http://members.aol.com/deawatch/dea45.htm?You have them p*****g and moaning about George Soros and all the 'huge amounts' of money - like 1.x odd million (the USG has spent 200-500 Billion on the DrugWar in the last 20 years, alone) he spent on getting Prop215 started.You know what these quasi-fascists (who would shoot you in a heartbeat for desecrating The Flag, but wipe themselves with the Constitution every day) want the citizenry to do? They want them to write to Congress and have Soros expelled from the country.from the page:"Because Soros has never really advocated that people should violate drug laws his citizenship decree cannot be revoked. However, some concerned citizens are asking Main Justice, or anyone in law enforcement, to research ways to keep Soros away from their schools. One parent cried,"This man didn't grow up here. What does he know about American values and our love for our children. He's a product of his communist homeland! Why does he want our kids?"And this is especially telling:The United States Congress, charged with the Constitutional power, and obligation, to declare war in the face of dangerous aggression has yet to act demonstrably against illegal drugs. Yes, there is a great deal of tit-for-tatting, and always accusations about law enforcement or government agencies either botching the drug war or fueling it. But Congress has yet to undertake the drug issue as a serious war threat. Even Janet Reno's first appearance before the United States Supreme Court was not to advocate permission to use extra-Constitutional means to go after drug-pushers, legalizers or criminals. Her efforts, according to two Justices, would provoke more stress on the American public by increasing their fear and resentment of law enforcement.Did you get that? At the risk of seeming pedantic, I'll repeat it:...advocate permission to use extra-Constitutional means to go after drug-pushers, legalizers or criminals.'Extra-Constitutional means.' Like midnight 'knock-at-the-door, a la the Gestapo.? Mass roundups of the Jew-, oops, uh, sorry wrong era, harrumph! the Druggies!? Suspension of Habeas Corpus? Concentration camps? Yah, Fritz! Virst ve mek ons own laws! Den ve bilt der kampz! You know, mit de chowers mit no vater!I implore all of you to take a good look at this article. Send copies of it to your Congresscritters and Sin-a-tors, the media, give this as wide as possible a distribution. Send copies to Dan Forbes and Joel Miller; I'm doing that as soon as I get through here. There, better than in any treatise of fascism I've ever read, is the pure, unaldulterated wellspring of the American version in full bloom. To use the democratic process for undemocratic purposes. To lock up the 'undesirables'...and then what?Act quickly, though. The antis probably don't know how big a mangy and rabid cat they've let out of the bag; they think there's nothing wrong in suspending civil liberties and mass roundups. Once the righteous wrath of the American people begins to become evident, they'll pull the page. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by Dan Hillman on April 21, 2001 at 18:07:46 PT The funny thing is, Tim... ...many DEA agents consider themselves and their agency snubbed by the current admin/congress.See, for example http://members.aol.com/deawatch/daily.htmEspecially this gem from 4/20 (luv that date!)Border rats... count each day as if it were your last. And don't be the last to die for your country.It's official... W. has gone to the summit with NAFTA in his pocket. W. has officially notified hi [sic] pals in congress to zoom forward on opening the free trade border with Mexico. No restrictions. No inspections. No customs hassles. This means that drugs will come flooding in alongside cassette tapes, toilet tissue and bananas.So don't be stupid. Don't risk your life for a lost cause. The "drug war" if [sic] officially over! [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Tim Stone on April 21, 2001 at 16:35:13 PT Military SNAFU Darb makes a very good point about the well-oiled machine that drug policy reformers are up against. I'm surprised that the reporting so far has been so informational. That probably has to do with this being such a humongous screw-up it's just too bad to immediately smother. And, it's a weekend, so a lot of the spin-controlers are off at cocktail parties and such. In the next few days we can expect a spate of "blame the victim" stories to start surfacing. I'd like to think that the DEA in particular would get its chain yanked on this one, but I doubt it. Why? because the DEA _never_ gets its chain yanked, no matter what they do. Using lying informants in criminal trials, deputizing Amtrak to harrass train riders, providing air support for a Peruvian fighter that shoots down an innocent missionary plane. They _always_ get away with it. The DEA are the darlings of Capitol Hill and have too much congressional support to ever be held truly accountable for their actions. Depressing, yes. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by New Mexican on April 21, 2001 at 16:20:41 PT What will it take? I agree with all the previous comments, but a sense of hopelessness fills my heart. The FTAA in Quebec Cityand the shooting down of innocent civilians shouldkick start the next round of world-wide protests.But it will get worse before it gets better. Notice thelack of interest in our opinions on any subject- we'renot even patronized at this point- just ignored and told to shut up! How much can we take? I think we've reached thepoint where political leaders are afraid of speaking out(as well as the average person) But no more! Speak out Now! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by MikeEEEEE on April 21, 2001 at 15:09:35 PT Bad Policy Bad policy breads bad side effects. I could image the church being advisors to certain drug warriors in Washington DC. I'd like to hear what the church has to say about some their own getting caught in their holy moral war. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by kaptinemo on April 21, 2001 at 14:55:25 PT: One very sad bit of twisted irony Who got the first phase of the US led DrugWar going in the beginning of the last Century? Christian missionaries. Who were so certain of their moral rectitude that they appointed themselves the moral arbiters for us all, and declared that drug use was anathema not only for health reasons, but moral and religious onesChristian missionaries.Who gets shot down while spreading the Gospel by elements of the very forces that their religious forebears set in motion so long ago?Christian missionaies.Like I said: sad. Twisted. Sick. Like this whole damn' DrugWar. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Darb on April 21, 2001 at 14:51:19 PT Doh Sorry, just realized that link I posted was wrong, here's one that works. US 'monitored' Peru Plane Blunder [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Darb on April 21, 2001 at 14:46:53 PT Media Coverage I haven't seen too much coverage on this on american news sites, but I found a good article from the BBC. The BBC kinda seems like the only reliable source of stuff going on involving the US government. Everything reported from other sources is so damn sugar-coated and biased. Anyways, the article spells out pretty well how it is the policies we pushed Peru to adopt that led to this incident. We can learn a lesson on scapegoating through this as well:1. Make country agree with your policies.2. If country doesn't accept your policy, cut off aid and/or trade.3. If policy backfires, blame the country that you made adopt your policies.4. Drill out the message hard and clear to the media that we're not responsible and it was just another accident caused by a foreign government.God damn, sometimes I feel like we're up against such a well-oiled machine that we don't stand a chance anymore. Disheartening to say the least..... US 'monitored' Peru plane blunder [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on April 21, 2001 at 14:19:38 PT: More 'collateral damage', huh? One of the main reasons why DrugWarriors like the alliterations to war is because, in war, you generally can cap a few civs who were unlucky at being in the wrong place and the wrong time...and get away with it. The typical excuse is 'the exigencies of war'. 'Fate'. 'Kismet'. The 'fortunes of war'. And sundry other euphemisms for either 'buck fever' or just plain sloppiness.I urge everyone to read this:RELUCTANT RECRUITS: THE U.S. MILITARY AND THE WAR ON DRUGShttp://www.tni.org/drugs/folder2/contents.htm Especially Part 9:Attacking the Air Bridgehttp://www.tni.org/drugs/folder2/contents.htm#9And you'll see how innocent women and children wind up getting whacked by adrenaline-tripping, Gatling-happy hotshots. And yes, Ed, we paid for evey bit of it. Which like it or not (I certainly don't) makes the American taxpayer an accessory to murder. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by THE WARRIOR on April 21, 2001 at 13:15:21 PT WHO SAID WE HAVE TO STAND AND TAKE THIS??!! WHEN AS AMERICANS ARE WE GONNA SNAP AGAINST THIS FAILED WAR!IT IS ABOUT TIME THIS F**kING COUNTRY WOULD GET ITS FACE AND RESOURCES OUT OF THIS WASTES OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.I AM NOT RELIGIOUS BUT HAVE MANY FRIENDS WHO ARE AND I RESPECT EVERYONE'S RELIGOUS BELIEFS AND THESE INNOCENT BYSTANDERS HAD TO BE KILLED. A MOM AND A 7 MONTH YEAR OLD BABY WERE REFUSED THEIR RIGHT TO LIVE JUST SINCE THE PLANE WAS IN PERUVIAN AIR SPACE.IT IS NOT A GOD DAMN WAR ZONE. THEY COULD HAVE JUST FOLLOWED THE PLANE WITH THEIR SUPPERIOR JETS UNTIL IT LANDED.NOT SHOOT TO KILL.IT IS ABOUT TIME WE STAND TOGETHER AND NOT TOLERATE THIS KIND OF WASTEFUL AND HARMFUL ACTIONS ARE STOPPED.WE WILL NOT TAKE THIS BULLYING ANYMORE UNCLE SAM. IT IS ABOUT TIME WE STRUCK BACK, BUT HOW?PEACE,LOVE,AND HAPPY TOKES,THE WARRIOR [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by jAhn on April 21, 2001 at 12:33:50 PT Of course America Supplied the Artillery Who else's economy needs the selling of Heavy Steele?War is Profit. To most people, Profit makes them happy, unless you know how it was made. Then the boat could get a little rocky.Shame Shame Shame on the Jokers who perpetuate this "killing game..." Ass-Wipe Ashcroft, Admiral Armitage, Shit-Grin Whitman, Oil-Horney Nortie, Lord Bush. = Masters of the Modern, 21st century Concentration Camp...Concentrate on what NBC tells you, "Good, good." Now Concentrate on OUR feelings, "good, good" Now...Concentrate on the fact that YOU are not THE Fittest of Survivors... Its' time to die.Concentrate on NBC's "healing words." now puke...BLLLLLLAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!WaaaaRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! You'll never take me alive!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by observer on April 21, 2001 at 10:38:09 PT ``Kill 'Em All ... let God Sort 'Em Out!'' This reminds me of a T-shirt I've seen around...http://www.joesarmynavy.com/images/killemall.jpghttp://www.joesarmynavy.com/tshirts.htmhttp://www.soldiercity.com/graphics/products/shirts/1159.gifhttp://www.soldiercity.com/cgi-bin/Web_store/Comish/click.cgi?name=gisearch&page=army2http://www.google.com/search?q=T-shirt+%22kill+em+all+let+God+sort+em+out%22 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FIGHT BACK on April 21, 2001 at 08:08:10 PT WAR CRIME This is a war crime people.Those "unidentified American Agents" should be lined up before a firing squad and shot.How much longer will we remain passive?FIGHT BACK!Viva Zapata! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Ed Carpenter on April 21, 2001 at 07:58:40 PT: Americans Shot Down Over Peru 2 Killed Ridiculous...and we probably supplied the jet and the bullets. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: