Colombia: Pact to Expand U.S. Army Presence Signed

mariacvetanoski says on Nov 1, 2009, 05:21:

-- Colombia and the United States signed an agreement Friday that allows U.S. personnel to be stationed at seven military bases in the South American nation.

The United States says it needs the bases to help in its fight against terrorists and narcotraffickers, especially since the closure a few months ago of a U.S. base in Ecuador. The United States maintains similar "forward operating locations" in El Salvador and Aruba-Curacao.

Colombia's agreement to host the Americans has come under harsh criticism in Latin America, particularly from President Hugo Chavez in neighboring Venezuela.

Chavez has likened the agreement to an act of war and accuses the United States of wanting to stage military personnel nearby to destabilize his leftist government.

The U.S. forward operating location in Aruba-Curacao is off the northern coast of Venezuela.

The United States linked Colombia's agreement to a trade pact the South American nation wants. Colombia also stands to gain from U.S. help in the nation's 45-year-old war against Marxist guerrillas known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, commonly called FARC.

Colombian Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez, Defense Minister Gabriel Silva and Interior and Justice Minister Fabio Valencia Cossio were joined by U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield in signing the document Friday in Bogota, the nation's capital.

Save the street children of Colombia Now!!

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ranaquajo (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 1, 2009, 05:27:

... yea ... we've been talking about it for a couple of days now ... leave it to the NY Times to lead in with "Colombia: Pact to Expand U.S. Army Presence Signed" ..... a little loose with the facts again ...

"The presence of U.S. military and associated personnel in Colombia is governed by statute. In October 2004, Congress authorized the permanent or temporary assignment of up to 800 U.S. military personnel and up to 600 U.S. civilian contractors. That cap will continue to be faithfully respected. In fact, in recent years the actual presence of such U.S. personnel has averaged half or less of the authorized number. Consistent with U.S. policy to nationalize U.S.-supported activities by turning them over to Colombian authorities, U.S. personnel presence has been in a gradual decline."

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/aug/128021.htm

“The people using your software, even if you own it and pay for it, have rights and will behave as if they have rights. And if you abrogate those rights, you'll hear about it very quickly.”

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mariacvetanoski says on Nov 1, 2009, 05:47:

this is WHY THEY NEED THE US TROOPS THERE IN COLOMBIA>>>>

YOUTH GANGS IN COLOMBIA

http://www.vimeo.com/6221658

Save the street children of Colombia Now!!

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Monpirri says on Nov 1, 2009, 06:27:

I am in favor of US bases in Colombia, I don't see why some people are suffering from paranoia! Developed countries such as England, Germany, Japan and other places have US bases.
Now, what I do want is the US military to have immunity to crimes or rapes to colombianitas in Colombia. I am especially concern with the US soldiers with Spanish surnames and who are not born in Colombia and who may want to take advantage of this clause.

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

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Chelesupercono says on Nov 1, 2009, 07:14:

I am heading to Colombia right now to open up sports bars and hire pre-pagos for all the bases were American troops will be stationed......what a goldmine!!!! But hey.......no digas nada a nadia porfavor!!!

never go to bed with someone crazier then you are, you will do it and you will regret it.......

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Monpirri says on Nov 1, 2009, 07:16:

While you there don't forget to open a taco bell.

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

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Costeña says on Nov 1, 2009, 12:50:

Why did you come to Colombia ?????

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Monpirri says on Nov 1, 2009, 14:23:

I do not think you are a real costeña because the above exhibit.

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

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miami55 says on Nov 2, 2009, 03:10:

That video above is from Comuna 13, of course there will be nothing but problems there, its like going to Liberty City of Overtown.

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Dolfi says on Nov 5, 2009, 01:18:

It has now become clear what this pact is about:

"Un documento del Departamento de Defensa de ese país, que SEMANA revela hoy, en una sola frase va al grano. Dice que poder utilizar la base de Palanquero es una "oportunidad única" para poder hacer un "completo espectro de operaciones" en una región "crítica" donde la "seguridad y la estabilidad están bajo constante amenaza" no sólo por narcoterroristas, sino -lo más revelador- por "gobiernos anti Estados Unidos".

El gobierno de Colombia siempre ha negado que esté dando permiso para que usen sus bases en contra de otros países.

Las implicaciones más sonoras serán más bien de índole político-estratégica. Y ahí viene el segundo punto del concepto del Consejo de Estado. Este tribunal asegura que se trata de "un acuerdo desbalanceado" porque la conclusión que queda luego de leerlo es que Estados Unidos manda y Colombia figura como cooperante."

http://www.semana.com/noticias-nacion/yankees-welcome/130763.aspx

These bases are not meant to fight drug traficking or Terrorism (at least not in the first place), but to fight governments in the region that are percieved as anti american by the US givernment.

"Estados Unidos manda y Colombia figura como cooperante"

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makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 5, 2009, 01:30:

Dolfi says on Nov 6, 2009, 01:20:

Estas bases por lo menos son para combatir los gobiernos independientes que no sel gustan a los americanos, así lo dicen ellos mismos.

Just go to the link I provided and read the rest.

What is starting here seems to be something like the contra-war of the USA against Nicaragua in the 80ies. As you are german you might want to read this article: http://www.amerika21.de/nachrichten/inhalt/2009/nov/para_293847_tachir... ("Beobachter fühlen sich unterdessen an die 1980er Jahre in Nicaragua erinnert. Dort hatten mit den Contras ähnliche informelle Verbände von den rechts regierten Nachbarländern aus die sozialistische Regierung der FSLN in einen zermürbenden Kleinkrieg verwickelt").

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Dolfi says on Nov 6, 2009, 03:00:

"Hasta en la Casa Blanca consumen cocaína, acusa Chávez

Estados Unidos permite el tráfico de drogas para evitar que millones de consumidores norteamericanos caigan en la locura, ya que el nivel de adictos es tal que hasta en la Casa Blanca se consume cocaína, acusó el martes el presidente venezolano, Hugo Chávez.

Chávez volvió a cargar contra el acuerdo entre Bogotá y Washington para incrementar su cooperación militar para combatir el tráfico de drogas y las guerrillas izquierdistas, acusando a las tropas estadounidenses de favorecer y canalizar el tránsito de estupefacientes.

"Está demostrado que el 80 por ciento de la droga en Colombia sale por allá por el Pacífico y ahí tiene los yanquis portaviones, tenían la base de Manta (en Ecuador). Los yanquis lo que hacen es propiciar el narcotráfico y cuidarlo", dijo. "Eso es verdad, verdaíta", sentenció.

http://www.publico.es/agencias/reuters/266678/casa/blanca/consumen/coc...

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makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 6, 2009, 03:08:

makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 6, 2009, 03:09:

Dolfi says on Nov 9, 2009, 01:03:

No, to the contrary of you concerning Uribe I am critical about many things that the venezuelan government does, e.g. the lack of creating an alternative to a petrol based economy or cooperation with Iran. But when Chavez says ""Está demostrado que el 80 por ciento de la droga en Colombia sale por allá por el Pacífico y ahí tiene los yanquis portaviones, tenían la base de Manta (en Ecuador). Los yanquis lo que hacen es propiciar el narcotráfico y cuidarlo", he is simply right.

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JGD (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 9, 2009, 03:51: