Colombia to buy tanks to fight rebels

[Judi Lynn]

23 Feb 2004 19:37:40 GMT
Colombia to buy tanks to fight rebels


BOGOTA, Colombia, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Colombia said on Monday it planned to buy up to 46 tanks from Spain as part of President Alvaro Uribe's military campaign to root out illegal armed groups fighting in the country's long-running war.

Defense Minister Jorge Alberto Uribe told a news conference the French-made AMX-30 war tanks would cost $6 million and would be deployed along roads and highways to deter attacks from leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitaries.

The tanks are due to arrive this year.

There are an estimated 40,000 illegal fighters fanned across Colombia's Andes mountains and thick jungles fighting a four-decade-old war that claims thousands of lives every year.

The Colombian military has received a boost under U.S. ally President Uribe.
(snip/...)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N23522839.htm

Note:
Bush gave Colombia's Uribe $537,000,000 last year, with promise to increase aid in 2004.

Info. I missed seeing earlier:

(snip) December 16, 2002

Bush and Uribe Undermine UN Security Council

by Garry Leech

During the first weekend in December, the Bush administration pulled off what amounts to a diplomatic coup d'etat at the United Nations Security Council. But the White House did not carry out this illegitimate seizure of power alone. Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe proved to be an invaluable ally in helping Washington undermine the legitimate decision-making processes of the Security Council with regards to the handling of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction disclosure. Only days before Colombia's UN Ambassador Alfonso Valdivieso blatantly violated an agreement between Security Council members by handing over the Iraqi report to Bush administration officials, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had been in Bogotá discussing the war on terror—and U.S. aid—with President Uribe.

On December 2, Powell flew to Colombia and met with high-ranking Colombian officials including President Uribe. The U.S. public was led to believe that Powell was discussing the U.S. drug war in Colombia and the escalating war on terrorism in the region. The secretary of state promised Uribe a 25 percent increase in U.S. aid for 2003, which would provide Colombia with $537 million for the fiscal year. Powell also promised to push for even more aid under the 2004 budget currently being put together by the Bush administration. Within days it became clear that the Bush White House expected something in return for Powell's generous promises of U.S. taxpayer dollars: The full cooperation of Colombia's UN ambassador, who had just assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council, in the illegal seizure of the Iraqi weapons report.
(snip/...)

http://www.colombiajournal.org/colombia144.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Venezuela Says It Won't Use Oil to Hurt U.S.
Sun February 22, 2004 11:55 AM ET

(Page 1 of 2)
By Pascal Fletcher
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's government feels misunderstood by Washington, but will not withhold oil shipments as a pressure tactic despite their differences, Venezuela's new foreign minister said.

Jesus Perez, who became foreign minister this month, said in a weekend interview that he did not foresee a break in U.S.-Venezuelan relations, despite sharp disagreements over Venezuela's support for communist Cuba, the U.S. invasion of Iraq and over a possible recall referendum against left-winger Chavez.

"I don't think there can be a divorce, we're condemned to get on with each other," said Perez, a former environment minister.

He also ruled out cutting oil shipments to the United States in retaliation. Caracas relies on oil exports for half of government revenues. Venezuela is the world's No. 5 oil exporter and the United States is its biggest client.
(snip/...)

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=reutersEdge&storyID=4409780

[GOPisEvil]

1. Tanks? To fight rebels in the jungles?

Uh, ok...

[Judi Lynn]

2. Why does Bush think it's o.k. to give over $350 million in U.S. taxes

to Uribe to buy tanks to machine-gun down "his own people" who are leftists, whereas it was criminal when Hussein "gassed his own people" (made possible with materials we gave him).

The difference simply eludes me.

[EXE619K]

3. Oh, that makes sense.....

Employ an M1A1 in the sticks.....

Satchel charge on the back deck.

Watch millions of dollars go up in flames.

These people never learn.

[mobuto]

4. They're only paying $130,000 / tank

Isn't that about what Jay-Z's Hummer cost?

[Snazzy]

5. Weekend Clashes in Colombia Leave 66 Dead

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - At least 66 people died in weekend clashes among Colombian troops, leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitary forces, the army chief said Monday.

The death toll was extremely high, even though Colombia has been engulfed in a 40-year civil war.

...

Separately, Defense Minister Jorge Alberto Uribe said Colombia would buy between 32 and 46 AMX-30 artillery tanks from Spain in a deal worth around $6 million. The agreement was made during a weekend visit by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.

Uribe denied rumors that the tanks would be deployed to boost security along Colombia's border with Venezuela, saying they will be used to safeguard highways from guerrilla attacks.

...

Colombia's war pits the FARC and the ELN against government forces and the paramilitaries. At least 3,500 people, mainly civilians, die in the fighting every year.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040223/D80T676O0.html