Counterdrug mission in Ecuador running out

Counterdrug mission in Ecuador running out
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 16, 2008 21:12:06 EST

America’s lease on the military’s most prolific counternarcotics operating location expires November 2009, but the 12th Air Force commander told a group of reporters at the Pentagon Wednesday that no plans have been made to find a permanent replacement south of the continental U.S.

Counternarcotics officials use 12th Air Force E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system reconnaissance aircraft to fill radar gaps over the Pacific Ocean to track speed boats who smuggle cocaine from South and Central America into the U.S. The AWACS take off from the “Manta” forward operating location in Ecuador where 15 U.S. military personnel are stationed and about 200 crew members rotate on temporary duty assignments.

However, the 10-year agreement signed in 1999 to station eight aircraft and 500 personnel at Manta runs out in less than two years and the newly elected president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, said he will not renew the lease. In fact, he made it a distinct part of his presidential campaign.

“The president of Ecuador has been pretty clear that he’s not going to renew the lease,” said Lt. Gen. Norman R. Seip, commander of 12th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Southern.

As the date approaches, Air Force and State Department officials must mull over whether to try and establish another FOL in South or Central America, or launch the AWACS sorties from a continental U.S. air base. Seip said he doubted a permanent presence comparable to Manta would be repeated.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/01/airforce_counternarcotics_080116w/