Leahy puts Colombia aid on hold

[Judi Lynn]

Source: L. A. Times/ Reuters

Leahy puts Colombia aid on hold
Senator is disturbed by report of link between army chief and militias.
From Reuters
April 20, 2007


BOGOTA, COLOMBIA — A U.S. senator has frozen $55.2 million in military aid to Colombia while he discusses with the State Department accusations that Colombia's army chief colluded with illegal paramilitary groups.

The move by Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) came as some members of his party push for a tougher line on Colombia, which has received billions of dollars in U.S. aid to fight left-wing rebels and the illicit drug trade.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is under scrutiny as he fends off a scandal linking several of his lawmaker allies to the militias, which are accused of drug trafficking and massacres during their war with the left-wing guerrillas.

Leahy is chairman of the subcommittee that oversees aid to Colombia.

Leahy spokesman David Carle said the senator wanted to discuss his concerns, including those stemming from a Times report last month citing CIA documents that say Colombian army commander Gen. Mario Montoya worked with the militias.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-colombia20apr20,1,1151203.story?coll=la-headlines-world

[IndianaGreen]

1. Clinton's second greatest folly in Latin America was Plan Colombia

His greatest folly was to keep the torture school at Fort Benning open under a new name.

[Judi Lynn]

2. NAFTA/CAFTA nothing to write home about, either! He could have done better. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

3. US Senate freezes Colombia military funds

US Senate freezes Colombia military funds
By Anastasia Moloney in Bogotá

Updated: 10:43 p.m. CT April 19, 2007
The US Senate has frozen the transfer of millions of dollars in funds to the Colombian military pending investigations into concerns over human rights abuses and alleged ties between the country's armed forces and paramilitary groups.

The decision to suspend 25 per cent of US military aid, worth $55.2m (€40.6m, £27.5m), was adopted by Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate appropriations committee's subcommittee on state and foreign operations, who is an outspoken critic of the level of military aid being sent to Colombia.

David Carle, spokesman for Mr Leahy, alluded that the widening "para-politics" scandal in Colombia was a factor in the senator's decision.

The scandal has exposed connections between rightwing paramilitary groups and politicians and members of the armed forces.

More:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18205461/