46 US Warships Plus 7,000 US Marines On Route To Costa Rica?

[defendandprotect]

46 US Warships Plus 7,000 US Marines On Route To Costa Rica?

Scott Oliver - July 2010

On the 2nd July 2010 the Costa Rica Congress authorized the entry of 46 U.S. warships capable of carrying 200 helicopters and warplanes, plus 7,000 U.S. Marines "who may circulate the country in uniform without any restrictions" , plus submarine killer ships to the Costa Rican coast for "anti-narcotics operations and humanitarian missions' between 1st July 2010 until 31st December 2010.


With this kind of nation destroying firepower, it gives real meaning to the expression "war on drugs", but if this a real six month "war on drugs" we should expect to see some fantastic results, right?


Politicians representing the Acción Ciudadana (PAC), the Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC) and the Frente Amplio (FA) political parties opposed the measure saying that the destructive force of the ships, helicopters and 7,000 US Marines is "disproportionate for the fight against drug trafficking."


On Sunday, the President of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla said that the government does not intend to militarize the fight against drugs and the Minister of Public Security Jose Maria Tijerino stressed that this huge, powerful military force would be under the command of the US Coast Guard and not the US Navy.


Although I don't suppose the Costa Ricans, the drug traffickers or we expats will notice the difference...

MORE
http://www.welovecostarica.com/public/2647print.cfm



--------------------------------

There's only on way to escape this insanity -- overturn this fake Drug War --

[davidinalameda]

1. drug war?

I thought we were gearing up to invade Venezuela

:shrug:

[geek tragedy]

2. They're not all going to be in the country at the same time.

Very few will ever set foot on their soil. It will be mostly interdictions at sea or in the air.

[Enrique]

3. that's none of our business

no U.S. media is reporting on it, and no government official has made any kind of announcement about it, so we should keep our noses out of it. :sarcasm:

[dtexdem]

6. So this news is a Tico leak-o?

;-)

[rocktivity]

9. I heard a rumor that Bon Jovi might be playing in Costa Rica

and their drummer's name is Tico...

:think:
rocktivity

[defendandprotect]

14. .... and we also seem to be learning about it

rather late here, as well --

I got it from one of the liberal orgs in e-mail the other day --

[old mark]

4. Oh...I thought they were going after Rush Limbaugh...didn't he move to Costa Rica

after the health insurance bill passed?
He wouldn't lie about something like that, would he?

mark

[indepat]

5. Wonder how many liters of petrol will be used in this operation and wonder how much this operation

will cost? :shrug:

[Posteritatis]

7. I'd still like to see some kind of corroboration on this

Preferably something that isn't simply restating the same rumors quoting other sources which are restating the same rumors. A real, grown-up news source as opposed to a blog or hearsay.

46 warships with at least one, possibly two, carriers and an attached MEF is about as large a force as the US navy can coherently move about - its largest fleet, for the whole of the Pacific, is about sixty ships - and the US Coast Guard would not have command over something like that.

[The Straight Story]

11. This has news links (including Miami Herald)

http://news.google.com/news/search?aq=f&pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=Costa+Rica+marines+ships


USS Iwo Jima provides a reason to rubberneck

The crew will also conduct missions in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, and Suriname.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/21/1741404/ship-provides-a-reason-to-rubberneck.html?asset_id=Departing%20U.S.%20Navy%20ship%20stops%20traffic%20along%20the%20MacArthur%20Causeway&asset_type=html_module#ixzz0uQw7M850

[defendandprotect]

16. Thanks --

and looks like simply another stab at taking over in these areas --

[Posteritatis]

17. Former's the stuff I want corroborated, latter says nothing about this supposed invasion. (nt)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

22. "The crew will also conduct missions in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama,

and Suriname."

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/21/1741404/ship-provides-a-reason-to-rubberneck.html?asset_id=Departing%20U.S.%20Navy%20ship%20stops%20traffic%20along%20the%20MacArthur%20Causeway&asset_type=html_module#ixzz0uRQRNPLj

[Posteritatis]

23. Yes, I read the article

Show me where it talks about one of the largest concentrations of American warships and Marines in a generation descending on Costa Rica - or any country in the area, for that - to "circulate the country in uniform without any restrictions" with "nation destroying firepower."

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

25. From an article from Costa Rica's Nacion.com/La Pais that discusses this

This article is saying that the 7,000 troops are personnel aboard the ships and it isn't definitive as to what their role, if any, on land would be. But then, what good would 46 ships, 200 helicopters and 10 planes be at sea?


http://www.nacion.com/2010-07-04/ElPais/NotaPrincipal/ElPais2434139.aspx

A rough translation of the Spanish through Bablefish

The president of the Republic, Laura Chinchilla, affirmed yesterday that the Government does not try to militarize the fight against drugs, although for the patrolling the entrance of 46 ships military of the United States is authorized. The agent chief executive indicated in her profile of Facebook that as much the minister of Security, Jose Maria Tijerino, like the commissioner antidrug of the Government, Mauritius Boraschi, would explain why the United States asked for to the country authorization for the entrance to Costa Rican waters of 46 boats, 200 helicopters, 7,000 men and ten airplanes battle Harriet, between 1.° of July and the 31 of December of this year. Tijerino and Boraschi visited the Nation yesterday and affirmed that there is no interest in militarizing the joint patrolling that realise Costa Rica and the United States from 1999. What passes, commented Tijerino, is that the military ships come under the command from the coastguard service of the United States, and respond to these authorities, “not to the Navy”. This way, the ships with permission to enter do not come under the command from the Naval Force, but they escape like “equipment from support” to the American coastguard vessels, that as well support the actions of the authorities of our country. As far as the permission so that 7,000 men enter the country with their put uniforms, as much Boraschi as Tijerino did not emphasize that together ones will not arrive all, nor will either carry out works that correspond to them to the Costa Rican police forces. These men are the total of the crew of the 46 ships and among them are technicians of the boats, pilots of the helicopters and the airplanes military that can transfer the aircraft carriers with permission to enter waters of national jurisdiction. The authorized leave Thursday by the Congress does not imply majors differences with others as far as amount of ships, said Tijerino. Nevertheless, it accepted that the warlike characteristics of the boats yes are majors, because therefore requires the fight against the drugs, that at this moment, and in spite of the cooperation agreement, continue losing so much the authorities ticas as the Americans. On the other hand, Boraschi stressed that he is preferable that journeys by the country welded American before sicarios or dealing of drugs. The authorized leave expires in December of this year.

[defendandprotect]

35. Thanks -- for yet more confirmation . ..

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

41. You're welcome. Raw Story ran an article about this and I couldn't believe they

pulled it out of thin air without checking. They cited this article.

[defendandprotect]

15. You mean like something from our corporate news . . . ???

or maybe one of the news agencies which I think are now all in foreign hands?

How about dealing with the nonsense of the Drug War -- or do you support it?

[Posteritatis]

18. I forgot that non-"corporate" news sources never lie or exaggerate

Sorry, I'll reprogram my ideology appropriately to fix that bug later.

[defendandprotect]

31. The question is THIS report . . . are you supporting the drug war?

Do you support our intervention in other nations using the Drug War as a wedge?

[Posteritatis]

32. Behold! The glory of contemporary political logic!

Yes, obviously the fact that I doubt the veracity of a story means I have to support the drug war, right?

Clearly if I don't support the drug war that means I have to uncritically buy absolutely everything that reflects poorly on it, regardless of how believable any particular claim is.

Get a clue. It's possible to dislike something and also be skeptical of a claim which just happens to be a nice ideological fit for disliking said thing.

[defendandprotect]

34. I'm sure you're right to be skeptical of the "Miami Herald" . . . whatever . . .

Obviously, the US government would be too intimidated to set the record straight

if this story wasn't true?

Meanwhile, again, the thread is about the Drug War and America's actions --

and using the Drug War to interfere in the affairs of other sovereign nations.

I see no connection between your skepticism over the link and the Drug War --

Just suggesting that you might want to make clear what your position on the Drug War

actually is . . . or not!



:eyes:

[lpbk2713]

8. Fleet week in Costa Rica?

Several thousand Marines and Sailors on liberty could make a big impact on their economy.

[douglas9]

10. USS Iwo Jima deploys in support of Continuing Promise

http://www.southcom.mil/appssc/news.php?storyId=2392

NORFOLK (NNS) -- USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) departed Naval Station Norfolk July 12 in support of Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10).

Continuing Promise is an annual humanitarian civic assistance operation that provides opportunities to establish new partnerships with other nations, non-government organizations (NGOs), international government organizations and learn from host nations and civilian experts.

During the scheduled four-month surge, relief operations will be conducted in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Panama and Suriname.

CP10 is a U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) directed operation implemented by U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F).

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Posteritatis]

21. Probably closer to 4-5 assuming they were all combatants

Third Fleet's meant to control the whole eastern Pacific and has four (maybe five by now) carriers.

Seventh Fleet's the largest numbered fleet and has about sixty ships. The idea of 46 operating against Costa Rica is absurd.

[SunnySong]

28. Thank you... good lord note to journalists read a book. nt

[conscious evolution]

13. The German word for this is

Anschluss

[Posteritatis]

19. You believe the US is annexing Costa Rica? (nt)

[defendandprotect]

36. Nah . . . . .

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[snooper2]

20. Have you ever posted a thread that wasn't moved to the dungeon?

:)

[EFerrari]

37. Why should this be moved to any dungeon?

?

It's not a conspiracy theory and it's not about guns or Israel. It's just our foreign policy in Latin America.

[defendandprotect]

38. Only someone who only reads posts in the dungeon . . .

wouldn't know the answer to that question --

:eyes:

[Greyhound]

24. Now, now, it's all OK because "we're" the ones doing it.

Did you miss the memo?

Democratic administrations are allowed to implement reich-wing nuttery, so long as they call it something else.

[JohnyCanuck]

26. Isn't it obvious?

Those poor, deprived Central and South American countries are deficient in depleted uranium. Benevolent and altruistic Uncle Sam is sending the US Navy and Marine Corps to give 'em some, entirely free of charge of course.

[lib2DaBone]

33. Right on. We are spreading Democracy....

We have to show those poor helpless people in South America how to "Appreciate" and "Utilize" their natural resources.

What are friends for?

[defendandprotect]

39. Something of beauty left in the world that we haven't yet destroyed ... !!!

Great post --

Sad that it's so true!!

:)

[JNelson6563]

27. They've probably got oil hidden there.

Wiley bastards.

[Obamanaut]

29. They should have arrived by now. They were reported as being

enroute earlier this month

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x547461

[Posteritatis]

30. Or it's another visit from the hyperbole fairy. (nt)

[EFerrari]

40. You better alert the State Department that there's an unidentified fairy in their venue

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stands with U.S. Marines at the U.S. Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica March 5, 2010. Photo: U.S. State Department

This past July 1st, the Costa Rican Congress authorized the arrival of 46 U.S. battleships and 7 thousand U.S. troops to the coasts of Costa Rica to carry out military operations, anti-narcotics missions and supposed humanitarian actions in the region.

According to the Costa Rican media, the majority of the warships are frigates measuring 135 meters in length and capable of transporting SH-60 or HH-60B Blackhawks, as well as 200 Marines and 15 officers on each ship.

But other ships and aircraft carriers involved, like the USS Makin Island, have the capacity to transport up to 102 officers and nearly 1500 troops, and are armored and ready for intensive combat. They are capable of transporting 42 CH-46 helicopters, five AV-8B Harrier combat aircraft and six Blackhawk helicopters.

Also authorized is the entrance of combat submarines, catamaran-type ships, and a sea-borne hospital, as well as reconnaissance and combat vehicles with the capability to maneuver at sea as well as on land. The USS Freedom will also arrive in Costa Rica with the ability to fight submarines.

http://machetera.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/u-s-military-makes-itself-at-home-in-costa-rica/

[lib2DaBone]

42. And how much is this Float-A-Palooza costing us?