Bush wants Panama Canal access safeguards

Bush wants Panama Canal access safeguards

November 07, 2005, 18:04 gmt

PANAMA CITY (AFP) - US President George W. Bush said that the Panama Canal must be modernized and that every country must have "equal access" to the strategic waterway that links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

US President George W. Bush said that the Panama Canal must be modernized and that every country must have "equal access" to the strategic waterway that links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

After talks with Panamanian President Martin Torrijos on Monday, Bush also said that they were "close" to reaching a bilateral free trade agreement but acknowledged that it could be difficult to push it through a divided US Congress.

The US president, who visited the canal locks, emphasized that "things have changed" since the canal opened in 1914 and stressed that "it's in the nation's interest that this canal be modernized."
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http://www.bakutoday.net/afps/english/shared/int/051107170400.c9ffctz9.html

Does he invision..equal access to say..Cuba? Venezuela? Other "ememies of freedom?

and who's going to pay for the modernization?

not that the safety record was ever bad, i have the impression it was excellent, but i did read awhile back that the panama gov't had improved on the usa record

they seem to know what they're doing & bushco don't, so i say if usa wants the canal improved, maybe provide some funding and then get the hell out of their way

by the way we need some waterways improved and controlled in the usa too, as long as the $$$s are being handed out...

You got it- Karen Hughes.
No kidding

I grew up there, and it pains me to think of how it must look now..

and take the canal by force?

1. Combat
2. Horses

:P

everything we buy has a "made in Panama" label.
I guess the workers in Mexico own shoes now and are too uppity for American companies.

innocent civilians died in Panama. Look for the documentary "The Panama Deception". A real eye-opener. You'll see familiar faces from the current regime.

Bush 2 - Iraq, Panama?

I lived in Panama from 1967 to 1970 while my Dad was stationed there and have always been fascinated by the Panama Canal. The canal is truly a great feat of engineering; I seriously doubt it needs modernizing. The cost in resources, money and lives was phenomenal in 1914 and today is virtually impossible to duplicate.

There are only two issues that might be considered downsides, the width of the locks and the depth of the canal. These two characteristics are inherent in the design of the canal and you cannot change them without seriously jeopardizing it. Of these two, the depth may be easiest to change, but if you cannot widen the locks for larger ships, then it makes no sense to try. Widening the locks themselves would court disaster.

The only other solution would be to build a new canal. Now you have questions of where and what route, how much will it cost and who will pay for it, how long will it take???

It was *ites who helped it fall into Chinese hands in the first place

http://www.hereinreality.com/likashing.html