US says Myanmar, Venezuela fall short in drugs fight

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US says Myanmar, Venezuela fall short in drugs fight
17 Sep 2007 18:42:12 GMT

By Paul Eckert

WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Myanmar and Venezuela
have "failed demonstrably" to do enough to fight illegal
drugs for a third straight year, the United States said on
Monday, but waived sanctions on Caracas to maintain U.S.
aid for democracy programs.

The 20 states identified as major illicit drug transit and
drug producing countries in the annual U.S. presidential
report to Congress were unchanged from 2006, but
Washington said allies Afghanistan and Colombia had made
some progress.

"Burma and Venezuela have failed demonstrably during the
previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under
international counternarcotics agreements and take the
measures set forth in U.S. law," said the report, using the
former name of military-ruled Myanmar.

"However, the president determined to maintain U.S.
programs that aid Venezuela's democratic institutions," it
said. States that fail to meet anti-drug commitments can
have non-humanitarian U.S. aid programs cut.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N17341460.htm

---

Progress in Afghanistan? Yeah, right. :eyes:

[Robbien]

1. What bunk

None of the twenty countries on the list have done anything major to stem significantly the flow of drugs. Most have helped in making sure the industry is healthy and robust.

[High Plains]

7. And which of those countries is the world's leading drug consumer?

How does the US grade itself on compliance? Har har har. What a fucking joke.

[clixtox]

13. The USA is the worlds largest producer of illicit "speed"...

and the largest grower of cannabis, especially the "higher" quality varieties. The USA is also rapidly becoming the world's leading producer of hashish with the proliferation of "bubble bag" hash. (Look it up on Google)

The USA population are the largest consumers of pharmaceutical drugs of every variety along with any other drug or substance that can be smoked, chewed, injected, snorted, drunk, dropped or rubbed on.

Do you think that this overwhelming desire to alter ones mood, attitude or perspective, could be indicative of a basic flaw in our culture or society? I believe that the answer must be yes.

We have the most drug prisoners and we are adding multitudes more every year, mostly poor and/or minority users or low level purveyors.

All part and parcel of our reigning fascist police state full of compliant, albeit drugged-up sheeple.

Ain't it grand?

[EFerrari]

14. I want to know who cashes the checks that pay out

"aid for democracy. Hitmen, propagandists, who? Because that's what it means.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Retribution for Venezuela's distancing from Bush's D.E.A.

Venezuela Accuses U.S. DEA of Being a “Drug Cartel”


by Chris Carlson

Global Research, May 13, 2007
Venezuelanalysis.com - 2007-05-08

Mérida, May 8, 2007 (venezuelanalysis.com)— The Venezuelan government responded yesterday to United States Drug Czar John Walters' criticisms that Venezuela is not cooperating with the United States in the fight against drugs by saying that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is a "drug cartel." The Venezuelan government rejected Walters' statements, saying that the U.S. has the intention of damaging Venezuela's reputation and intervening in its affairs.

John Walters, who is the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy in Washington, made the statement in an interview with the Colombian magazine Semana last week. And today in Brussels, Walters made further statements about Venezuela at a meeting with the European Union and NATO about drug-related issues. Walters warned of an increasing problem with cocaine entering Europe from South America, and in particular from Venezuela.

"Venezuela is gaining importance for drug dealers," said the US Drug Czar. "There are flights from legal airports to Dominican Republic and Haiti. Sea shipments are dispatched from several points on the Venezuelan coast."

But the Venezuelan government rejected the claims made by Walters, saying it was an attempt to discredit anti-drug efforts in Venezuela. Minister of the Interior Pedro Carreño warned that the recent declarations are a new attempt to intervene in Venezuela with the intention of putting military bases in Venezuelan territory.

¨The United States establishes cooperation agreements in the fight against drug trafficking through economic cooperation so that they can later impose the presence of military bases under the pretense of cooperation," said Carreño yesterday.
(snip/...)

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=5633

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun never sits upon _Bush administration efforts to completely destabilize every Latin American government he can't control.

[0rganism]

3. "the president determined to maintain U.S. programs that aid Venezuela's democratic institutions"

Oh, yes, of course. Those programs. :eyes:

If there's any chance the US will cut funding for its pet corporatists and coup plotters because of non-cooperation with some half-assed counter-narcotics agreements, I can see why Chavez isn't exactly falling over himself to comply.

Naturally, Colombia and Afghanistan, already ruled by fascist-friendly regimes, are areas of great progress. :crazy:

[Greyhound]

4. Any info on exactly where that "humanitarian" aid actually goes?

I'm guessing that it isn't to the government's general fund where Chavez & Co. could put it to good use.

[0rganism]

5. doesn't look like there's much official US humanitarian aid at all

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_aid_to_Venezuela

$50,000 for emergency relief supplies isn't exactly busting the budget. OTOH, those "democratic institutions" (hello, Sumate) get plenty of backing from the NED...
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/448

[Judi Lynn]

8. Goes directly to the opposition organizations, like Sumate, whose spokeswoman,

Maria Corina Machado was one of the people right in the Presidential Palace celebrating with the new coup President the day they took over, after having Chavez kidnapped.

[Greyhound]

11. I suspected as much.

When arbusto_® said he wouldn't "cut off" the funding, I just knew that the money was going to Chavez' opponents somehow.

Thanks for the info.
:kick:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

6. How could they possibly hope to match our shining example?

Can't be done.

Duh.

:evilgrin:

[Judi Lynn]

9. Here's the pResident's memorandum on the matter, just the way he

writed wrot it!

Memorandum for the Secretary of State

SUBJECT: Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2008

Pursuant to section 706(1) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228)(FRAA), I hereby identify the following countries as major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries: Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.

A country's presence on the Majors List is not necessarily an adverse reflection of its government's counternarcotics efforts or level of cooperation with the United States. Consistent with the statutory definition of a major drug transit or drug producing country set forth in section 481(e)(2) and (5) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA), one of the reasons that major drug transit or illicit drug producing countries are placed on the list is the combination of geographical, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs to transit or be produced despite the concerned government's most assiduous enforcement measures.

Pursuant to section 706(2)(A) of the FRAA, I hereby designate Burma and Venezuela as countries that have failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements and take the measures set forth in section 489(a)(1) of the FAA. Attached to this report are justifications for the determinations on Burma and Venezuela, as required by section 706(2)(B). I have also determined, in accordance with the provisions of section 706(3)(A) of the FRAA, that support for programs to aid Venezuela's democratic institutions is vital to the national interests of the United States.

Although President Karzai has strongly attacked narcotrafficking as the greatest threat to Afghanistan, one third of the Afghan economy remains opium-based, which contributes to widespread public corruption, damage to licit economic growth, and the strengthening of the insurgency. The government at all levels must be held accountable to deter and eradicate poppy cultivation, remove and prosecute corrupt officials, and investigate and prosecute or extradite narcotraffickers and those financing their activities. We are concerned that failure to act decisively now could undermine security, compromise democratic legitimacy, and imperil international support for vital assistance.
(snip/...)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/09/20070917-1.html

[bemildred]

10. Venezuela say "Price oil in Euros". nt

[Tempest]

12. Is there nothing this administration won't be a hypocrite about?

What about Afghanistan?

The U.S. has allowed it to become a record producing opium country.