-Caveat Lector- BBC NEWS http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1183000/1183468.stm Thursday, 22 February, 2001, 03:39 GMT Colombia drugs war escalates US supplies the hardware in anti-drugs fight By Jeremy McDermott in Colombia It has emerged that pilots supplied by the United States to support anti-drugs efforts in Colombia were involved in a gunfight with rebels during a crop-spraying mission last Sunday. The incident began when a police helicopter supporting the US-backed aerial fumigation programme crops was shot down by Marxist guerrillas in the southern province of Caqueta. The crew of the downed aircraft were rescued by other helicopter gunships, some piloted by American citizens contracted by the US State Department. Correspondents say the incident is likely to fuel allegations by the rebels that the US is directing the anti-drugs offensive in violation of Colombian sovereignty. US involvement disputed The guerrillas of the Farc, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, have long asserted that the US is directly involved in fighting against them, citing the US spy plane with five American servicemen on board which crashed into the mountains of southern Colombia in 1999. But US authorities have insisted that the 500 American military personnel stationed in Colombia are involved in training and monitoring only and never directly in combat. The US aid package of $1.3bn was voted through Congress on the guarantee that US personnel would not get directly involved in the fighting. The aid package is ostensibly for the war against drugs but since guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries are deeply involved in the narcotics trade, the drug war is synonymous with the civil conflict. But the same rules on combat do not seem to apply to sub-contractors hired by the US State Department. Another Vietnam This latest fighting over the weekend saw Americans paid by the US flying helicopter gunships that were used to put suppressing fire down on guerrillas whilst grounded crewmen were rescued. The Farc have vowed to turn Colombia into another Vietnam for the US and have stated that all American military personnel in the country are considered targets. Guerrilla sources have said they cannot see the difference between US service personnel and Americans in the pay of the US government. They say that the United States has crossed the line and is intervening in the 37-year civil conflict. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
