Forwarded from Anthony

[Louis Proyect]

In regard to Les's post on suspension of aid to Colombia for not granting
US citizens immunity for crimes against humanity charges in world court (
[Subject: A bit of good news from WA at last  From: Les Schaffer
<schaffer at optonline.net>

Les is right as rain.

 > The US will pull its troops from countries that won;t sign a treaty
 > exempting US citizens from war crimes charges.

"i saw this report this morning. one of the countries was Columbia. i bet
US won't pull troops out of there.

"or maybe US current stance is "we don't have troops in Columbia"???

According to today's El Tiempo, the block of US aid to Colombia will not
include money for fumigation or for military resources under Plan Colombia.
With one exception, $5,000,000 for training the XVIII Brigade in Aruaca -
but this money was already being suspended because of the drug scandal now
spiraliing out of control here in Colombia.

However, the failure to give Colombia a waiver int he cut off of US aid
SHOULD be seen as a shot across the bow aimed at Colombian President Alvaro
Uribe Velez for not granting the US immunity - and probably for some other
things going on behind the scenes.

22 other countries were given temporary waivers - including Afghanistan -
but not including Colombia.

If Colombia does not grant the immunity demanded by Bush, next year's $140
milllion in Plan Colombia money would have to blocked - or, Bush would have
to grant a waiver.

Anthony


Louis Proyect, Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org