A Harsh Light On Associate 82--A declassified Pentagon report claims Uribe once worked for Pablo Esc

[Say_What]

Source: MSNBC

<clips>

In September 1991 the U.S. Department of Defense compiled a list of individuals believed to be associated with Colombia's notorious Medellin drug cartel. There are 106 names on the newly declassified intelligence document, and they read like a who's who of thugs, assassins, midlevel traffickers and crooked attorneys. The cartel's ruthless kingpin, Pablo Escobar, was prominent on the list, of course, along with the former Panamanian dictator Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega. But the real head turner is item No. 82, which reads as follows: "Alvaro Uribe Velez—a Colombian politician and senator dedicated to collaboration with the Medellin cartel at high government levels. Uribe was linked to a business involved in narcotics activities in the U.S.... Uribe has worked for the Medellin cartel and is a close personal friend of Pablo Escobar Gaviria."

The Pentagon report portrays Uribe in a light sharply at variance with his current image as Washington's main ally in the U.S.-financed war on drugs in South America. But in those days, he was among dozens of Colombian pols who openly opposed the extradition of their drug-trafficking countrymen. Uribe has since changed his views—and, in fact, his government has sent scores of drug traffickers to the United States for prosecution since he took office.





Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5570107/site/newsweek/from/ET/

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Bush pal and US lap dog Uribe a pal of Pablo Escobar. No surprise here--many have known this for years, but now the declassified docs confirm it.

[Judi Lynn]

1. My God! It has FINALLY been at least mentioned by the corporate media, known for so long

by Colombians, by Colombians who live in the U.S., of course, and by Americans who have heard it from these people and know they are beyond reproach.

But, noooooo, the _Bush administration simply proceeded as if no one would never find out, since our right-wing Presidents have done such great work covering their tracks until long after they are out of office, and they got _{Bush the Lesser} to put Presidential records out of reach for well into the future, and to reclassify tons of documents the Clinton administration had requested declassified.

They take us all for fools. Many have helped them believe they are right.

To hear this news suddenly appearing right here and now is a MIRACLE! You have to wonder what the hell is happening.

Thank you, Say_What. Now I can go finish the article you posted. I was too excited to read through it before I could thank you for getting this information placed right here where we could see it. Wow.



"The Death of Pablo Escobar" by Colombian painter, Fernando Botero.

[Make7]

2. That article was actually printed in August 2004.

I guess it has just recently been added to their website.

Those interested (all two of you) may want to check out the released information at the National Security Archive:

U.S. INTELLIGENCE LISTED COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT URIBE AMONG "IMPORTANT COLOMBIAN NARCO-TRAFFICKERS" IN 1991

Then-Senator "Dedicated to Collaboration with the Medellín Cartel at High Government Levels"

Washington, D.C., 1 August 2004 - Then-Senator and now President Álvaro Uribe Vélez of Colombia was a "close personal friend of Pablo Escobar" who was "dedicated to collaboration with the Medellín cartel at high government levels," according to a 1991 intelligence report from U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officials in Colombia. The document was posted today on the website of the National Security Archive, a non-governmental research group based at George Washington University.

Uribe's inclusion on the list raises new questions about allegations that surfaced during Colombia's 2002 presidential campaign. Candidate Uribe bristled and abruptly terminated an interview in March 2002 when asked by Newsweek reporter Joseph Contreras about his alleged ties to Escobar and his associations with others involved in the drug trade. Uribe accused Contreras of trying to smear his reputation, saying that, "as a politician, I have been honorable and accountable."

The newly-declassified report, dated 23 September 1991, is a numbered list of "the more important Colombian narco-traffickers contracted by the Colombian narcotic cartels for security, transportation, distribution, collection and enforcement of narcotics operations." The document was released by DIA in May 2004 in response to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by the Archive in August 2000.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB131/index.htm

- Make7

[gorbal]

3. These are our "Friends"

Our enemies are the ones who want to take care of their people I guess.