You Will Anyway: American taxpayers helping to shoot down planes in Latin America

Thursday, August 18, 2005

American taxpayers helping to shoot down planes in Latin America

President Bush on Wednesday authorized the United States to continue helping Colombian authorities ground or even shoot down planes suspected of carrying illegal drugs.
Detroit Free Press article

"Suspected", mind you. And have we forgotten that a bunch of innocent (well, innocent of drug charges) American missionaries were killed in this very same "suspected" manner?

The program resumed over Colombia in August 2003 under stricter procedures: Suspicious flights first must be ordered to land and warning shots fired before it can be shot down. Also, no plane can be shot down by the air force without a direct order from the commander of the Colombian Air Force.

Well, I feel much better about it now.

WIIIAI comments:

This is just a little reminder that Americans have been sent by our government to help kill people, without trial, for something that is not a capital crime in our country.
[...]
It would also have been nice if the AP had mentioned how many planes have been shot down under this program; I know dozens have been in Peru but I’ve never seem a number for Colombia.
[...]
Bush claimed the Colombians are working to “minimize the loss of innocent life,” although evidently not by refraining from shooting at airplanes. Best way to minimize loss of life, innocent or otherwise: stop with the shooting.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

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