U.S. Suspends Military Aid to Nearly 50 Countries

Reuters ^ | July 1, 2003 | Reuters

[Pern]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday suspended military assistance to nearly 50 countries, including Colombia and six nations seeking NATO membership, because they have supported the International Criminal Court and failed to exempt Americans from possible prosecution.

As the deadline passed for governments to sign exemption agreements or face the suspension of military aid, President Bush issued waivers for 22 countries.

But the 22 countries did not include Colombia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Colombia, where the government is fighting leftist guerrillas and drug traffickers, has been one of the largest recipients of U.S. military aid in the world.

A U.S. official said that if countries had ratified the treaty setting up the international court and had not received a waiver, the ban on military aid would apply.

But the threat, enshrined in the American Service Members Protection Act of 2002, does not apply to the 19 NATO members and to nine "major non-NATO allies."

Based on the information initially available to Reuters, the countries subject to the suspension of military aid are:

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Dominica, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Paraguay, Peru, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zambia.

The countries which received presidential waivers are:

Albania, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, East Timor, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Honduras, Macedonia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nigeria, Panama, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan and Uganda.

[Gunrunner2]

FYI: Most of this "aid" is in the form of IMET (International Military Education and Training), and not classic hardware.

IMET is usually when we bring select members of a foreign military to the states to learn democratic principles, civilian rule and oversight over the military, establish personal relationships with the aim of expanding ties and improving relations. This, in turn, gives the US access and influence. We send them to a variety of schools (Air University, Army War College, etc, as well as to civilian universities). We also have exchange programs where we bring them over to serve "in" the US military while one of our guys serves "in" their military. Again, exposure to US democratic ideals and practices.

Oh, while a military program, IMET funds are administered by the State Dept.

[Gunrunner2]

Just outside of East Jesus, if I recall correctly.

;-)

[sarasota]

If anyone wonders why the war on drugs can be called "hopeless", watch the film "Traffic". Drives the point home.

[MJY1288]

That was a depressing movie

[Cathryn Crawford]

We are down there helping them fight the FARC and the ELN, terrorist groups that have ties to Chavez in Venezuala, the IRA, and Al-Qaeda.

Columbia is also a very oil-rich country.

[Gunrunner2]

"Traffic"? Never heard of it.

Must have been a documentary on the drug trade.
Facts and real interviews and research. . .wow. I'm very interested in seeing a no-kidding un-biased documentary on this subject---rather than some MTV "Real World" sort of piffle that is a directors version of "reality."

Who produced this documentary, and where can I locate it?

[Joe Brower]

"We can't save the world while we lose the United States."

Quote of the day, my good sir!

I forget who the official person is to ping on this -- sorry!

[MineralMan]

"Perhaps I'm confused, but it does seem say Columbia has been suspended and did not receive a presidential waiver. "

Problem seems to be that Colombia is misspelled so often.

[MJY1288]

Do you have any info on weather the DEA,FBI,ATF assistance has been cut off or is it just the military (i.e. DOD)

[finnman69]

Probably we helped Finland out a little when they bought 64 F-18Cs and Ds in 1994.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Why did Bush give waivers to any of them at all? Do we REALLY need the political and military might of THIS bunch?

Albania, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, East Timor, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Honduras, Macedonia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nigeria, Panama, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan and Uganda.

All of them together couldn't muster 50,000 decent troops or a single modern bomber much less a guided missile cruiser.

[Publius6961]

Is "Palestine" included?

Why can't this be permanent?
It's a great start!

[OXENinFLA]

As the deadline passed for governments to sign exemption agreements or face the suspension of military aid, President Bush issued waivers for 22 countries.

But the 22 countries did not include Colombia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Sloveni

The countries which received presidential waivers are:

Albania, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, East Timor, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Honduras, Macedonia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nigeria, Panama, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan and Uganda.

It looks to me that Colombia got the Ax.

[Publius6961]

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Dominica, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Paraguay, Peru, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zambia.

Waivers are:
Albania, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, East Timor, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Honduras, Macedonia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nigeria, Panama, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan and Uganda.

Does any one have any suggestions on how to determine how many $$ these countries get currently and have gotten in the past?

[MistrX]

Why in the world would Nauru be on this list?

[MJY1288]

Never underestimate the military might of Mauritius < /sarcasm > off :-)

[Gunrunner2]

Actually, Botswana is a rare exception to the usual rubbish in Africa. Sound economy, disciplined military, dedicated to the US, stable population. . .

Botswana is my guess to take over the lead in sub-Saharan Africa when South Africa follows Zimbabwe.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Traffic was a movie that won several Academy Awards, I believe. It had Michael Douglas, Cathrerine Zeta-Jones, and Benicio DelToro, I believe.

It's an eye opener.

[Cathryn Crawford]

I don't know. I'll do a bit more research when I have more time. I'm curious, especially about the DEA information.

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.gao.gov/

Have you tried here?