Ecuador Says US Must Leave Manta Air Base

[Psychoblues]

Continuing evidence of the failed foreign policies of one gwb administration. This is pathetic!!!!!!!!

The Associated Press

Tue, Jul 29, 2008 (6:45 p.m.)

The U.S. military must stop using its only outpost in South America for anti-drug flights when Washington's 10-year lease on the base in Ecuador expires in 2009, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

Leftist President Rafael Correa has repeatedly said that Ecuador would not renew the agreement to use the Manta air base, but Tuesday's Foreign Ministry statement said the South American nation has now formally notified the U.S. Embassy of the decision.

Some 300 U.S. soldiers are stationed at the Pacific base and flights from Manta are responsible for about 60 percent of U.S. drug interdiction in the eastern Pacific.

The statement said that surveillance flights will end in August 2009 "and the withdrawal of foreign personnel from the Ecuadorean Air Force base in Manta will end in November of that year."

More: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008...anta-air-base/

The man is batting about a goose egg, ain't he?

[Dilloduck]

Continuing evidence of the failed foreign policies of one gwb administration. This is pathetic!!!!!!!!

The Associated Press

Tue, Jul 29, 2008 (6:45 p.m.)

The U.S. military must stop using its only outpost in South America for anti-drug flights when Washington's 10-year lease on the base in Ecuador expires in 2009, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

Leftist President Rafael Correa has repeatedly said that Ecuador would not renew the agreement to use the Manta air base, but Tuesday's Foreign Ministry statement said the South American nation has now formally notified the U.S. Embassy of the decision.

Some 300 U.S. soldiers are stationed at the Pacific base and flights from Manta are responsible for about 60 percent of U.S. drug interdiction in the eastern Pacific.

The statement said that surveillance flights will end in August 2009 "and the withdrawal of foreign personnel from the Ecuadorean Air Force base in Manta will end in November of that year."

More: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008...anta-air-base/

The man is batting about a goose egg, ain't he?

----just earth-shattering. Obama is a leftist-he'll go talk to that brother and fix it foe sho.

[hjmick]

This is the same Rafael Correa who is basically a puppet of Hugo Chavez, correct? The same Rafael Correa who, according to documents found by Colombian police, has ties to FARC. The very same FARC that is recognized as a terrorist group by the Colombian government, the United States Department of State, Canada and the European Union? The same Rafael Correa who attempted to blackmail developed countries for $350,000,000(US) a year or he would allow the drilling and developing one of the biggest oil fields in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon? This the guy we're talking about?

I don't think I'm going to blame Bush for this one. In fact, I would be angry if he had attempted to renew the lease before he left office. There is no need to be doing business with this putz Correa. And I'd be willing to bet it is Bush's support of the Colombian government more than anything else that led to Correa's decision not to extend the lease.

Non story.

Move along, there's nothing to see here...

[Psychoblues]

All that may be, repeat MAY BE, true but we've certainly had worse allies in Latin and South America, haven't we?!?!?!?!??!??!

And the Manta Air Base is the same one that our military, the DEA, the CIA and others consider to be absolutely vital in the protection of American interests in South America.

This development is not exactly earth shattering but it does present a multi million if not multi billion dollar job for our diplomats to do as they scramble to find a willing and suitable replacement. Considering recent American involvements in South America, that may be a tough nut to crack.

[Dilloduck]

Louth America

Well put, Psycho !

[Psychoblues]

Thanks, dillo, I think I have it corrected!!!!!!

Well put, Psycho !

[hjmick]

I'm not sure that the U.S. has any real vital interests in South America except for drug interdiction and preventing the spread of the likes of Chavez and Correa.

[Psychoblues]

I don't think either of those guys could be elected in the US but their own populations love and appreciate them. I am certain there are exceptions but on the other hand would you want any foreign media or government interviewing me about the lil' snot, gwb?

I'm not sure that the U.S. has any real vital interests in South America except for drug interdiction and preventing the spread of the likes of Chavez and Correa.

Admit it, hmjick. This is another diplomatic disaster brought about by your CIC and his successor will have to try and straighten it out for the safety and security of the rest of us, don't 'cha know? It will be expensive but it is doable.

[avatar4321]

The lease is up. Is this supposed to be a big deal? They have to look out for their interests. we have to look after ours.

[Psychoblues]

And right now the one that Americans supposedly elected to do just that ain't doing so good, is he?

The lease is up. Is this supposed to be a big deal? They have to look out for their interests. we have to look after ours.

[Sitarro]

We should take every nail, board and slab of concrete that we put there when we leave...... that or accidently blow up the entire base...... don't leave anything for these ingrates.

[Psychoblues]

You aren't encouraging another useless war are you, zero? But, on a more serious and realistic note, there are many that want the space on that base that we now occupy and some of them aren't very nice even by gwb standards. Know wut I mean?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!

We should take every nail, board and slab of concrete that we put there when we leave...... that or accidently blow up the entire base...... don't leave anything for these ingrates.

I'm no damn diplomat:

[manu1959]

good.......close them all.....fuck off the lot of them....

[Psychoblues]

You just don't get it, do you, m'59? Nothing is being closed or will be closed. They are just telling Americans to get thier shit off their base, that's pretty much it. I don't think ignorance and your attitude is likely to change any of that. Do you?

good.......close them all.....fuck off the lot of them....

Crank it up another notch, sissy:

[hjmick]

Given the animosity Ecuador (and Venezuela for that matter) has for Colombia, it will be interesting to see what happens when the American presence in Ecuador is absent.