[Previous entry: "The “Salvador Option” in Action"] [Next entry: "India's Bloody Water Wars"]

05/07/2005:

"Colombia Hands Over to U.S. Two G.I.'s Accused of Smuggling"

BOGOTÁ, Colombia, May 5 - Two American soldiers arrested by Colombian police in an arms smuggling case were handed over to the United States Embassy today, angering both authorities and ordinary Colombians who believe the servicemen should face charges here.

Under treaty obligations, Allan Tanquary and Jesus Hernandez, stationed here as part of the American effort to fight drugs and Marxist rebels, will be investigated by American officials and, if charged, face trial in the United States. The two men, along with four Colombians, were arrested Tuesday in a posh gated community in Melgar, where the police found 32,000 rounds of ammunition they say was bound for right-wing paramilitary groups.

The case has deeply embarrassed the United States, which denied today that the Bush administration is secretly helping Colombia's brutal paramilitary organization, the United Self-Defense Forces, in its fight against Marxist rebels.

"There is absolutely no U.S. policy and U.S. support or U.S. inclination or U.S. military operations involved in arming paramilitaries," Richard Boucher, a State Department spokesman, told reporters in Washington. "We have declared these groups to be terrorist groups."
Full:nytimes.com

Whatever. These are 'our' terrorists, and under Plan Colombia they have total immunity. What is 'deeply embarassing' is the simple fact that these two were actually caught. They absolutely were under orders, just dutifully doing what the US wants done.