NYT: Rumsfeld Urges a Latin Push Against Terror

QUITO, Ecuador, Nov. 16 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Tuesday that the ability of terrorist organizations to move people, weapons and money across the many borders of Central and South America could be constrained only by increased cooperation among the governments and militaries in the region.

At the start of meetings with defense ministers from the Western Hemisphere, Mr. Rumsfeld cited the skill of the groups Hamas and Hezbollah - which are on the United States government's list of terrorist organizations - in raising money in the region. And he warned that smugglers' routes now used to move illegal workers toward the United States border could just as easily be used by terrorists.

In outlining Washington's vision for cooperation, he complimented recent military exercises that included naval and coast guard ships and air force jets from the United States, Panama, Chile and six other nations, and focused on skills at intercepting smugglers' vessels and guarding the entrances of the Panama Canal.

Members of Mr. Rumsfeld's delegation acknowledged that although there was broad agreement on the dangers of narcotics trafficking and links between criminal organizations in Latin America and the United States, not all nations in the hemisphere shared Washington's definition of terrorism, which focuses on Islamic extremists like Al Qaeda.

Ministers presented a united face on the topic, at least in public. "This is a subject of extreme concern to us," said Nelson Herrera, Ecuador's minister of defense.

Mr. Rumsfeld emphasized that security threats of the 21st century could not be solved by any one country working alone.

"The enemies of civil order in this world - whether they be hostage takers, gangs, criminals, narco-traffickers, terrorists - they look for weaknesses," he said.

"The only real way to defeat the terrorists is to put pressure on them across the board," Mr. Rumsfeld said. "We have to deny them safe havens. We have to seek them out where they are. And we have to cooperate internationally in reducing their ability to raise money."

The Times does seem to have access to stories on the Reuters news wires. Funny how closely the two stories track.

Rumsfeld Urges Latin America to Unite in Terror War
By REUTERS

Published: November 16, 2004

Filed at 1:53 p.m. ET

QUITO, Ecuador (Reuters) - All of Latin America must realize that terrorism is a growing threat in the Americas and that the only way to defeat extremist guerrillas like al Qaeda is to join ranks, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Tuesday.

``We are seeing the benefits of economic cooperation among countries'' in the Western Hemisphere, he said. ``Now, we need to strengthen security cooperation so we can see the benefits there.''

``Security is the essential foundation for further progress for all of the people of the Americas.''

Speaking on the eve of a meeting of defense ministers from North and Latin America, Rumsfeld said drug trafficking, kidnapping and criminal gangs south of the border were but an example of the instability threatened by international guerrilla groups apparently moving into the region.

He noted that both Hezbollah and Hamas, groups that have mounted bombing attacks on Israel and are labeled by Washington as terrorists, are raising funds in Latin America. But he stopped short of putting al Qaeda on that list.

While some U.S. officials have suggested that al Qaeda is moving into the region, Washington has offered no evidence.

GLOBAL PROBLEMS

Rumsfeld met Ecuadorean President Lucio Gutierrez and Defense Minister Nelson Herrera, and both defense chiefs suggested at a news conference that more Latin Americans needed to think beyond their own borders to threats from overseas.

``This is a subject of extreme concern to us,'' said Herrera.

``In the 21st century, we are finding that these problems increasingly are global and regional. They are not problems that affect only one country. And they are such that they can't be solved by only one country,'' added Rumsfeld.

``And what this means is that, in the 21st century, countries that want their countries to be free and prosperous increasingly are realizing that they need to cooperate among themselves.

Rumsfeld was also meeting later on Tuesday with the defense ministers of Argentina and Brazil and with a group of Central American defense chiefs to discuss increased security cooperation in the hemisphere.

The secretary, nearing the end of a week-long trip that has also taken him to El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama to promote regional security, praised Ecuador for its commitment to defense cooperation and global peacekeeping.

``Our two countries cooperate in many areas, including the fight against narco-trafficking,'' he said.'' Equally important is Ecuador's participation in regional security cooperation such as cooperation with Colombia and other nations against drug trafficking.''

I agree with you a hundred percent. We need to help Latin American nations in developing their economies and embracing capitalistic government policies. As Europe merges to form a large, socialist conglomerate, and China becomes increasingly aggressive in establishing trade policies –like they did with Argentina this week- we need sure up our own base. Latin America is our closest economic neighbor and establishing the FTAA, as Bush has laid it out, would provide an incredible economic boom. If we allow the countries of this region to slip into the abyss of European socialism, or worse (Cuban socialism,) than we will have lost a great opportunity to assure our own economic and national security.

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