Adm.: U.S. won’t replace Ecuador base

[unhappycamper]

Adm.: U.S. won’t replace Ecuador base
By Andrew Whalen - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Apr 22, 2008 7:43:42 EDT

LIMA, Peru — Washington has no plans to replace its only military post in South America if Ecuador’s government refuses to renew a 10-year lease on its drug interdiction air base in the Pacific port of Manta, the chief of the U.S. Southern Command said Monday.

Instead, the military will run drug surveillance flights out of existing bases in El Salvador, Curacao, and Key West, Fla., Adm. James Stavridis said during a visit to Peru for meetings with military officials.

“Our intention would be to simply rearrange our operations throughout the region,” Stavridis said.

The base’s current lease expires in late 2009, and leftist Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has repeatedly said he will not renew it.

U.S. anti-drug surveillance flights from Manta are responsible for about 60 percent of drug interdiction in the eastern Pacific.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/04/ap_ecuadorbase_042208n/