Posted on 10/22/2007 8:38:02 PM PDT by LibWhacker
NAPLES (Reuters) - Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa said Washington must let him open a military base in Miami if the United States wants to keep using an air base on Ecuador's Pacific coast.
Correa has refused to renew Washington's lease on the Manta air base, set to expire in 2009. U.S. officials say it is vital for counter-narcotics surveillance operations on Pacific drug-running routes.
"We'll renew the base on one condition: that they let us put a base in Miami -- an Ecuadorean base," Correa said in an interview during a trip to Italy.
"If there's no problem having foreign soldiers on a country's soil, surely they'll let us have an Ecuadorean base in the United States."
The U.S. embassy to Ecuador says on its Web site that anti-narcotics flights from Manta gathered information behind more than 60 percent of illegal drug seizures on the high seas of the Eastern Pacific last year.
It offers a fact-sheet on the base at: http://ecuador.usembassy.gov/topics_of_interest/manta-fol.html
Correa, a popular leftist economist, had promised to cut off his arm before extending the lease that ends in 2009 and has called U.S. President George W. Bush a "dimwit".
But Correa, an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, told Reuters he believed relations with the United States were "excellent" despite the base closing.
He rejected the idea that the episode reflected on U.S. ties at all.
"This is the only North American military base in South America," he said.
"So, then the other South American countries don't have good relations with the United States because they don't have military bases? That doesn't make any sense."
Pull everything out, raze the base to the ground. Give the looters nothing.
The Chinese are whispering ‘sweet-nothings’ in his ear.
Why else would he wish to cast the largest source of income from his sh*thole?
Forget Miami, let’s put the base in Riviera Beach. We can cede it to them. They won’t have to pay us a dime or offer any other compensation. They just have to live there.
Something like 10,000 surplus condos and several large lots of land for other failed to be financed condo developments in greater Miami/Dade. I’m sure some of those near bankrupt developers would sell their land to Ecuador at this point.
The Germans are cutting back operations at their base in New Mexico- perhaps they can sublease to him.
If it’s important enough, we’ll give them a base.
...we should just give them Massachusetts....
Give them one for the sake of fun. Surely this military base will look pathetic... and will be very embarrasing for Ecuadorian soldiers to even guard it... plus several daily fly-bys of F-22s.
Do the Ecuadorians speak Spanish … if so; Bush will give them anything they want.
San Francisco.
But they have to keep it.
Do we need a base in Ecuador?
If we leave a base in Equador, and China moves in,
do we resurrect the Monroe Doctrine?
(and why haven’t we, already??)
These tin-pot POS dictators are getting old. It’s time we slap one down as an example. Yes I’m calling for military intervention.
Sounds like a plan to me! Leave no trace of it every being there. Then get the popcorn and sit back, because the citizens that don’t have their jobs anymore will be in the streets. This could be one of the best things to happen, because it would destabilize Ecuador, and who knows....
I say we close it down, destroy it beyond recognition, and cut the buggers off economically, refuse all their exports.
Seems they need another revolution. Those stupid people never learn.
In Ecuador they speak Spanish and their official currency is the U.S. Dollar.
Actually, their economy is based on the US Five Dollar Bill. If you try to use a twenty dollar bill to buy something they look at you like you are trying to pass a million dollar note at a Federal Reserve Bank.
My attitude toward Correa and others like him is this: No, you corrupt kook, all cultures are not created equal. The day Ecuador is a democracy instead of a kleptocracy, is a superpower instead of a military laughingstock, is the main defender of freedom and human rights in the world, then and only then might we consider giving you a base in America (and it won’t be in Miami).
Didn’t know about the money thing. Love learning things like this. Will investigate further. One of the countries I have always wanted to visit.
They can have New Orleans. They won’t stay long.
I say pull out, and pull out fast so there’s no doubt why and who is reponsible for the results. I’d also pull out of South Korea. Its been a thankless job for far too long.
I would think we could find somewhere in South America that wants our dollars. North Brazil might be nice... Right next to Venezuela...
? He seems to be giving everything to his Mexican friends And I can understand some of it … his sister-in-law is Cuban, he speaks (passable) Spanish, he lived most of his life along the Mexican boarder.
There’s always Alaska... Say far north Alaska...
I doubt they could even afford to man it...
It is an amazingly beautiful country but very poor even for South America.
When I was there I spent time in the Galapagos, along the Pacific coast and in the Capital. Of course the Galapagos are one of the greatest places I have been but Quito is a wonderful city.
It is located right on the equator at an elevation of 9500 feet but you can go up to 14,000 feet just outside the city. The location and elevation of Quito give it amazing weather all year long.
For the last seven or eight years they have used the US Dollar as their currency.
I know all that and am frustrated too. However, Mexico isn’t Ecuador. So what if his sister-in-law is Cuban? Not all Cubans are pro-Fidel.
Ecuador cannot afford to man bases in Ecuador.
This is simply an extortion attempt and Dubya will give them the money they want.
Don’t renew the lease. Don’t pay another penny.
Tell him “You want it—you take it”
Lessee how he likes living with one arm.
Actually, the Pacific Coast of Ecuador in very much like S. Louisiana with wetlands, fishing and oil industries. Moreover, they would like Louisiana as it is third world just like Ecuador.
Didn’t say that either … just pointing out some reasons that Bush might be sympatric (?) to Spanish speaking people.
Isn't that an oxymoron?
I’ve never been there, but I understand a large part of the population of Ecuador speaks Indian languages like Quechua rather than Spanish. The country is almost exactly the same size as Nevada, so maybe it’s natural for them to gamble.
As if the MSM nose wasn't already planted far enough up into the nether regions of the South American despots.
Even though the guy’s a leftist POS, can you blame him? What about Calderon with his “there is a Mexico wherever there is a Mexican” crap?
As long as they pay the same amount as we do to them.
I’ve been to Ecuador several times, including Manta. It’s been 10 years since I was there (the last time was a year after El Nino) but I didn’t know there was a US base at Manta. Anyway, Ecuador earns the tag, “banana republic,” for a variety of reasons. Driving through Ecuador, you will see banana plantation after plantation owned by Dole. Politics are a joke, the typical presidential race may have something like thirty candidates in the general election. During the campaign, homeowners will let political parties paint murals on their houses, advertising this or that candidate, just so they get their house painted. Whoever wins the election immediately replaces all the public officials, including customs agents, etc., with their friends family etc. The typical government employee is looking for a bribe on a routine basis, but mainly only from Ecuadorians, not tourists. Lawyers are merely money changers, the person arrested hires the lawyer to broker the bribe with the judge to avoid jail. Ecuador is beautiful, and it’s economy makes vacationing there a bargain, there has never been much tourism to Ecuador, except Galapagos.
See that button to the far left below the "REPLY" box? Has the markings "S-P-E-L-L" on it?
Use it!
Aaah, the good old days! Long gone I'm afraid. I can think of six of these jet-setting tinhorn dictators who would have had "mechanical problems" with their flights as they ran around rallying with each other.
The Chinese already control the Panama Canal.
Correa may want to consider Hightstown, NJ, as it has the largest Ecuadorian population per capita of any city in the US.
My vote goes to Hope, Arkansas. No need to build any buildings for the base, just use those 11,000 FEMA trailers left over from Katrina.
After the the S. American countries refuse to make a deal, there were significant reductions in aid. Instead, SA turned to China to provide that military aid and training.
Bush quietly rescinded that policy, but it opened the door.
Homestead Air Force base, lots of available empty housing, and we could use the Ecuadorian air force as target practice.....errrrr aggressors. And Charge them rent.....Then send them back to send this little wannabe commie packing.
“The Chinese already control the Panama Canal.”
No they don’t.
Panama owns and controls the Panama Canal.
There are Zero, None, nada, PRC connected in anyway to the Panama Canal.
Hutchison Whampoa operates two, dos, 2 ports here. Hutchison Whampoa is under British management with Panamanian blue-collar workers. They are doing a fantastic job.
How many times does this have to be repeated?
“...destabilize Ecuador, and who knows...” Maybe the Chinese will establish a base.
How’s that gonna play in Peoria?
How much foreign aid are we sending to Ecuador? It should be reduced to zero, and as another noted, the base razed to the ground.
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