Saturday, August 29, 2009

Summit criticises US-Colombia deal

AL JAZEERA ARTICLE:

South American leaders have issued a statement warning "foreign military forces" not to threaten the sovereignty of any of the region's nations.

The declaration, which was signed by all 12 leaders of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), came after a lengthy debate on Friday on plans to increase the presence of US troops at bases in Colombia.

The statement "reaffimed that the presence of foreign military forces must not ... menace the sovereignty and integrity of a South American country and in consequence regional peace and stability".

It deliberately avoided specific mention of the US military in order to allow all the leaders, including Alvaro Uribe, the Colombian president, to sign the text.

Regional fears

The extraordinary meeting the Argentine mountain resort of Bariloche was called after Venezuela, along with Bolivia and Ecuador, complained that the US military could use seven bases in Colombia as launch points to overthrow their governments.

"The US global strategy for domination explains the installation of these bases in Colombia," Chavez said, holding up a document he said set out the US air force strategy to achieve that aim.

IN VIDEO

Crisis hangs over US-Colombia military plan

An attempt by Evo Morales, the Bolivian president, to get other leaders to sign a declaration rejecting the US deal with Colombia was rejected.

"As long as there are uniformed foreigners in a South American country, it's difficult for us to think there can be peace," he had told the summit.

Colombia has insisted that the US troops are vital to tackle drug trafficking in the region and pose no threat to its neighbours.

Uribe told the summit on Friday that he would "not cede one millimetre of sovereignty" under the deal.

"We are not talking about a political game, we are talking about a threat that has spilled blood in Colombian society."

US expansion

But Eva Golinger, a consultant to the Venezuelan government, told Al Jazeera that the US military deployment was not necessary.

"It has been made clear in other US documents this year, particularly one on irregular warfare, about the need not to have permanent troops stationed in any one country but to have this type of mobility which allows for effective non-conventional military operations - so that's the fear," she said.
"The fear comes in the form of territorial occupation of US military forces or an access to the entire infrastrucure of Colombia for an alleged war against drugs and that doesn't pan out."

Under the plan, about 300 US troops are already stationed in the country, but the new agreement allows the expansion of the force to 800 US soldiers and 600 civilian officials.

Many Latin American nations are wary of US intervention in the region, recalling Washington's backing of right-wing military governments in the past.

Brazil, Chile and Argentina have demanded binding guarantees be made that the US military assets and personnel in Colombia not be used for any other purpose other than their stated mission of fighting drug-traffickers and Colombian rebels.

3 comments:

Director said...

Hola guapa. Gracias por la entrevista con Chomsky. Ya veo que estas muy concentrada en Latinoamaerica...dime si te gusta mi nuevo documental Golden Rule: The Investment Theory of Politics
http://goldenruledocumentary.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

To allow any presents of US military bases, military personnel, or non-military is dangerous if not suicidal. The wolf only knows one think, to feed its belly. No latin america country has soldiers in the U.S to fight drugs, rebels, or gangs. No thanks we can take care of are own problems. Stay the hell out of latin america. Two things you need to know about the U.S. 1. lies and more lies. by way of deception they do war. just ask the Native indians of north america. 2. they lie some more. 1 million iraqi's dead and still counting. the great liberators are only out to fill their bellies. Latin America, please don't believe their lies. defeat them in Colombia, and defend Venezuela at all cost.

Anonymous said...

MICHAEL RIVERO FROM WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WEBSITE, PREDICTED THAT US IMPERIALISM WILL INVADE PAKISTAN AS THE NEXT COUNTRY VICTIM OF U.S FASCISM !!

PERSONAL NOTE: US IMPERIALISM IS TARGETTING THE ARAB WORLD, BECAUSE THE ARAB WORLD IS DIVIDED. US IMPERIALISM CANNOT INVADE LATIN AMERICA BECAUSE LATIN AMERICA IS UNITED. AND REMEMBER THAT US IMPERIALISM IS SCARED OF ARMED, STRONG AND UNITED NATIONS LIKE EUROPE, LATIN AMERICA, AND ASIA. THE ARAB MUSLIM NATIONS ARE VERY DIVIDED. AND US IMPERIALISM IS JUST FULFILLING ITS THEORY OF "DIVIDE AND CONQUER"

http://uruknet.com/?p=m57452&hd=&size=1&l=e

http://whatreallyhappened.com/

Remember the predictions at this site, for some time, that Pakistan is absolutely the next target in the US's "War on Terror"?

And please note the other post about Pakistan at WRH today, indicating that the US is accusing the Pakistani government of modifying an older US weapons system to increase its range against India?

Obama is fulfilling his campaign promise to Pakistan. The sudden arrival of U.S. marines, U.S. military Hummers, the hired killers of Blackwater, houses barricaded for U.S. personnel in Islamabad and the construction of the world's largest U.S. "Embassy" are terrorizing this nation of 180 million people. The U.S. slaughter and destruction in Iraq and neighboring Afghanistan for the last 8 years warn them of what may lie in store for them, their families, their land.

Eye witnesses and informed journalists have been reporting sightings of U.S. personnel in Islamabad for the past week or so, but now they are seen moving freely throughout the capital.