Today expires the ten-years agreement that the governments of US and Ecuador signed in 1999, in which the Southamerican nation allowed the Northamerican one to build up and have a military base in the city of Manta to fight narcotrafic. The agreement was not extend because the current Ecuatorian government called for a plebiscite where most of the people voted for not to extend the agreement. Some reports about violation of human rigths in the area may have had an influence on the people's desition.
Since then the US began to look for a new place where to move the base over in order to continue the figth against narcotrafic, and the most suitable place was Colombia because its geographical position and because it is a great ally of the US. Besides, The Plan Colombia has not expire. And in fact, it happened: the governments of Colombia and the US has just signed a pre- agreement in which the American military will move from Manta to three Colombia Air Force bases in Colombia. When the agreement will be signed Colombia will host 800 military people and 600 contractors, the US military will redesign the bases for the narcotrafic operations which could be extended to anti-terrorism operations. The agreement is for ten years and it stipulates the US will not build a base but will use the Colombian ones, the US government will not condutc military operations against other countries, and when it expires Colombia will keep the redesignes made by Americans.
The signature of this pre-agrement has divide the Colombian opinion: some sectors of the nation agree and say that it is fruitful for the country in order to fight narcotrafic and terrorism, and it backs Colombia in front of its neighbors. In the other hand, some sectors say that it is a violation for the Colombian sovereignty and a threat for the region since it benefits the American imperialist policy hidden in an aparent fight against narcotrafic. In my opinion, I agree since the US is our first commercial partner, most of the Colombians abroad live there and we have been together in politics and military for a lonf time, which has been profitable for Colombia as a nation in development way. Besides, Americans and English language have been involved in my life which has been profitable for me too. I try to get the best from Americans and their culture by trying to avoid the bad things, specially the vices from a minority (every culture has these vicious minorities). The only thing I ask those Americans living in Colombia is not to misbehave, there are some cases in Colombia and other countries where Americans live about misbehaving and other things such as procreating kids and then abandoning them as it happenend to the called "Children of the Plan Colombia".
I think this is one more chapter of the story of the US regarding its history of first economical and military world power and everything that this means for its allies and enemies. As a Colombian or American or another nationality, what do you think?
Since then the US began to look for a new place where to move the base over in order to continue the figth against narcotrafic, and the most suitable place was Colombia because its geographical position and because it is a great ally of the US. Besides, The Plan Colombia has not expire. And in fact, it happened: the governments of Colombia and the US has just signed a pre- agreement in which the American military will move from Manta to three Colombia Air Force bases in Colombia. When the agreement will be signed Colombia will host 800 military people and 600 contractors, the US military will redesign the bases for the narcotrafic operations which could be extended to anti-terrorism operations. The agreement is for ten years and it stipulates the US will not build a base but will use the Colombian ones, the US government will not condutc military operations against other countries, and when it expires Colombia will keep the redesignes made by Americans.
The signature of this pre-agrement has divide the Colombian opinion: some sectors of the nation agree and say that it is fruitful for the country in order to fight narcotrafic and terrorism, and it backs Colombia in front of its neighbors. In the other hand, some sectors say that it is a violation for the Colombian sovereignty and a threat for the region since it benefits the American imperialist policy hidden in an aparent fight against narcotrafic. In my opinion, I agree since the US is our first commercial partner, most of the Colombians abroad live there and we have been together in politics and military for a lonf time, which has been profitable for Colombia as a nation in development way. Besides, Americans and English language have been involved in my life which has been profitable for me too. I try to get the best from Americans and their culture by trying to avoid the bad things, specially the vices from a minority (every culture has these vicious minorities). The only thing I ask those Americans living in Colombia is not to misbehave, there are some cases in Colombia and other countries where Americans live about misbehaving and other things such as procreating kids and then abandoning them as it happenend to the called "Children of the Plan Colombia".
I think this is one more chapter of the story of the US regarding its history of first economical and military world power and everything that this means for its allies and enemies. As a Colombian or American or another nationality, what do you think?
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