Colombia/U.S. Agreement for Increased U.S. Presence--Chavez Fears Destabilization

[clear eye]

According to http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/30/colombia-agreement-us-military">a story in the Guardian of 10/30, "The US ambassdor, William Brownfield, signed the deal with the Colombian foreign, justice and defence ministers at the foreign ministry in Bogota" to "increase US access to seven Colombian bases for 10 years."

"The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, said the agreement was a threat to the region's security."

[Braulio]

1. The flight of the Predators

I read the new agreement is meant to replace the Manta base in Ecuador. But since they've got access to seven bases, the new scheme is to send in Predators to have constant TV coverage of the areas where the FARC and the ELN operate. And this TV coverage will be in living colour, infrared, and night vision versions.

It's going to be interesting to see if, in the next couple of years, we see the Colombian air force raining laser guided missiles on top of guerrilla camps.

I got a tendency to believe the FARC and ELN will lose, being out in the open, and will have to turn into urban guerrilla groups, but they'll lack the drug money - the introduction of Predators and other surveillance platforms will mean the end of the large poppy fields in Colombia.

[clear eye]

2. Interesting. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

3. "the introduction of Predators and other surveillance platforms will mean the end of...

...the large poppy fields in Colombia."

:rofl:

Sorry, Braulio. I really did laugh out loud. That statement is so naive.

You haven't been paying much attention to Afghanistan, have you? Hint: Wherever the US war machine goes, there "the poppy fields" abound! And the cocaine trade. And the weapons trade. And violence and mayhem.

The seven new US military bases in Colombia have nothing whatever to do with stopping the drug trade, or the leftist guerrillas. This is, a) war profiteering, and b) probably part of an oil war plan.

It is, in summary, a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE development.