US military aid to Colombia serves to enrich defense companies: WikiLeaks founder

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

US military aid to Colombia serves to enrich defense companies: WikiLeaks founder
Sunday, 20 March 2011 16:36
Adriaan Alsema

United States military aid to Colombia serves more to enrich private defense companies than to help the Andean nation, said WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in an interview published Sunday.

In a video-interview with Colombian weekly Semana, Assange alleged that these interests of large corporations are more important than a desire to help Colombia develop.

"What it's about is that there are several powerful companies and lobbies in Washington such as Lockheed Martin, say Raytheon, Northrop Grumman; military intelligence contractors who lobby Congress and their contacts within the Pentagon and the CIA to engage in special programs in Colombia with provisos written to make sure that the money actually cycles back to the United States," the WikiLeaks founder said.

"It's about transferring money from U.S. tax payers i.e. predominantly from middle class people back to company share holders and senior executives; people who are already rich. For example, by appearing to give the Colombian government aid to buy helicopters, but then attaching provisos so that the helicopters must be of a particular type that only a U.S. weapons manufacturer can provide. That's what's really going on in Colombia as far as military subsidy and what the United States calls the war on drugs is concerned," Assange added.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/15021-us-military-aid-to-colombia-serves-to-enrich-defense-companies-wikileaks-founder.html

[L. Coyote]

1. One example of a redundant problem.

[freshwest]

2. Thanks for the thread, but isn't that where all the money in the world goes?

II'm not saying I approve in any way. Just that this isn't news to most people. It still needs to be put out there for those who don't know.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Colombia is the 3rd largest recipient of US aid, and has created the world's largest displaced

population.

There is a non-stop war against the poor, taking their land via paramilitary groups (death squads) who often work at the behest of corporations, driving the poor off their land, and on behalf of right-wing politicians, and work in colaboration with the Colombian military.

Why the US taxpayers have ever been required by law to finance such a vicious situation is a filthy mystery.