Chief of Southern Command says US will not seek to replace air base in Ecuador

Source: Associated Press

Chief of Southern Command says US will not seek to replace air base in Ecuador
ANDREW WHALEN, Associated Press Writer

April 21, 2008 7:20 PM

LIMA, Peru (AP) - Washington has no plans to replace its only military post in South America if Ecuador's government refuses to renew a 10-year lease on its drug-interdiction air base in the Pacific port of Manta, the chief of the U.S. Southern Command said Monday.

Instead, the military will run drug-surveillance flights out of existing bases in El Salvador, Curacao, and Key West, Adm. James Stavridis said during a visit to Peru for meetings with military officials.

''Our intention would be to simply rearrange our operations throughout the region,'' Stavridis said.

The base's current lease expires in late 2009, and leftist Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has repeatedly said he will not renew it.
(snip)

Stavridis said military activities in the region should include disaster relief and humanitarian aid, as well as school and clinic construction.


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(Isn't this astonishing? Wingers have staggered all the way to D.U.'s forums to howl with derision about Venezuela's military's being asked to pitch in and do the VERY SAME THINGS. How does this work; if when a leftist does it, it's all bad, but when a rightwinger suggests it, it's REALLY the way to go, couldn't be more appropriate. They're a bunch of flippin' humanitarians, aren't they?)

Ecuadorian president calls for unity among Latin American nations
www.chinaview.cn 2008-04-22 10:15:50

QUITO, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa on Monday called for unity among Latin American nations.

The region must leave behind the "long night of neo-liberalism," said Correa during a meeting with visiting Argentine President Cristina Fernandez.

The time was over when Latin American nations were separated, isolated from each other and forced into compliance, he said.

"Latin America is living a new era with sovereign governments, dignified, independent and progressive," he said.

Meanwhile, Correa called for the establishment of a new "regional financial architecture in order to banish forever the defect of the selfishness, isolation and fratricidal competition for the resources in our countries."

Correa urged the Latin American nations to strive to build a new financial architecture "that eliminates the subordination to the international financial organism and that exceeds the limits of trade integration."

More:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/22/content_8026838.htm

Ecuador boosts force on Colombia border
11 hours ago

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador will install electronic surveillance equipment and boost its military presence along its border with Colombia.

President Rafael Correa says his government will modernize its aging air force with modern planes, radars and electronic equipment to enforce its border. He gave no further details in his comments Monday.

The move follows a Colombian cross-border military raid on a rebel camp in Ecuador's jungle that killed 25 people, including a top guerrilla commander and an Ecuadorean citizen, on March 1.

Correa says Ecuador will "never again" allow a foreign attack on its soil.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hbNVl90aqKmPE2vkjCuVRB6I6y-gD906GDCG0