US to continue military aid to Colombia

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

US to continue military aid to Colombia
Wednesday, 16 November 2011 07:34
Alice Boyd

The United States defense secretary guaranteed the continuation of military aid to Colombia Tuesday, along with military and logistical support, under the controversial Plan Colombia.

The U.S. government made the affirmations during a meeting between Colombia's Defense Minister, Juan Carlos Pinzon, and the U.S. Defense Minister, Leon Panetta, in Washington.

As the main United States alley in the region, the presence of U.S. military personnel and advisers has been constant in an ongoing battle against insurgency and drug trafficking.

U.S. Defense Minister Panetta expressed support for the role that Colombia can play in providing regional security cooperation and combating drug trafficking, particularly in Central America.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/20474-us-to-continue-military-aid-to-colombia.html

[OhioChick]

1. I thought we were broke? n/t

[EFerrari]

2. We can still afford some free trade mass graves. nt

[harun]

5. LOL, comedian. Food/health care dollars = broke, Evangelzing neo-liberal economics

and the weapons to back that up = unlimited $$$.

[tpsbmam]

3. Oh good, cuz I was afraid we do something stupid with the money, like prevent seniors

from freezing to death this winter or feeding poor, hungry children. Glad to know our money is being spent wisely!

:sarcasm:

[Judi Lynn]

4. Four Colombian soldiers dismissed for 'false positive' murder

Four Colombian soldiers dismissed for 'false positive' murder
Wednesday, 16 November 2011 11:40
Miriam Wells

Four Colombian soldiers have been dismissed from the national army for killing a peasant and dressing him like a guerrilla fighter.

Colombia's Inspector General's Office said the men had "completely and knowingly failed in their professional duty" when they killed a civilian in a rural area near the town of Silvania, Cundinamarca district, in August 2003.

Third Corporal Wilmar Bedoya Arias and soldiers Manuel Crane Páez, Alexander Sánchez Cacais and Jhon Jaime Beltrán García, then tried to "justify their actions by presenting this civilian as a militant killed in self-defense, claiming he was carrying a weapon he had used against them."

~snip~
More than 3,000 cases of 'false positives' are currently being investigated.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/20486-four-colombian-soldiers-dismissed-for-false-positive-murder.html