Jonn Lilyea
US Democrats stand with FARC
Posted by Jonn Lilyea on April 10, 2008
The narco-terrorist marxist organization, the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) has been dealt some terrible defeats in recent weeks by the Colombian government and international cooperation. Colombia has been our greatest ally in the war against terrorists - a war they’ve been waging for over 40 years. The Colombians even foiled a plot to build a dirty bomb, recovering 30 kilos (of a suspected 50 kilo cache) of low-grade uranium on the outskirts of the Colombian capitol Bogata.
But the US Congress is doing their level best to turn the fortunes in that war. President Bush sent Congress the US-Colombian Free Trade Agreement the other day with a 90-day time limit for Congress to pass this important FTA with our greatest ally in the hemisphere. However, Democrats in Congress are more concerned with their political patronage.
From the Wall Street Journal;
Mrs. Pelosi’s decision to confront Mr. Bush comes at a delicate time. Many in Washington are preparing for Democrats to make further gains in the coming election. But congressional Democrats face poor approval ratings and pressure to make progress on issues such as the housing crunch.
Mrs. Pelosi rejected the White House charge that House leaders have changed the rules unfairly by holding up the Colombia trade agreement. “It’s all a question of who has the leverage,” she said. Moments later, though, she suggested that Democrats’ demands on the free-trade bill wouldn’t be so “onerous” that it can’t pass.
On war spending, Mr. Reid said Democrats have a number of alternatives to consider. Among them would be adding an extension of unemployment insurance to an Iraq supplemental-spending bill expected to be debated later this spring.
Another point of contention is an antiterror measure that would expand warrantless surveillance powers in the U.S. and give legal immunity to telecommunications companies that assist in eavesdropping.
Democrats are eager to cast the White House and congressional Republicans as out of touch on the economy. White House officials in turn note that Democrats have accomplished little so far that would help on the specific problem areas, notably the housing sector. They are uncertain whether Democrats can ultimately pass anything meaningful, particularly given the close margins in the Senate.
The article doesn’t mention that the Democrats are beholden to the partisan union thugs who vehemently oppose any free trade agreement for purely partisan reasons, clinging to the myth that the US economy is hinged on the manufacture of tiny plastic crap. Democrat patronage may influence the Democrats to fore go passage of the Panama and South Korea FTAs as well later in the year - for no good reason.
Passage of the Colombian FTA would go a long way towards demonstrating to the Colombian people that we stand unfailingly with the Uribe government against the terrorists of FARC, but Pelosi and her supporters are more focused on damaging the Bush Administration than they are doing what’s right for this country and others.
(Crossposted at This Ain’t Hell)
April 10, 2008 at 8:15 am
[...] (Crossposted at Tall and Rich) [...]
April 16, 2008 at 5:21 am
Perhaps the opposition to the trade agreement also stems from the fact that Colombia is one of the worst human rights abusers against labor movements. In fact, Colombia leads the world in the killing of labor leaders…and interestingly, it is not FARC that has done the killing.
Just a thought.
April 16, 2008 at 5:49 am
One of the “worst” human rights abusers? Compared to whom? China, which has an FTA with the US? More likely, Democrats are just more willing to punish our allies (solely to embarrass a Republican administration) than a real human rights abuser.
April 16, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Yes, indeed. Colombia has a higher rate of oppression against trade unionists than China or any other government.
‘400 union members have been killed since 2002, and dozens of Mr. Uribe’s supporters in Congress and his former intelligence chief are under investigation for ties to paramilitary death squads, which are classified as terrorists by the United States and responsible for some of the union killings.’
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/14/world/americas/14colombia.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
April 16, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Oh, I see, only unionists count when it comes to human rights and free trade agreements. Now I understand.
From your own source; Since President Álvaro Uribe’s conservative government took office in 2002, there has been a marked decline in union killings.
Now why didn’t you include that in your quote? Don’t bother answering, I know why you didn’t include it.
April 16, 2008 at 4:57 pm
haha. that isn’t the point. you question the motives of why the democrats are opposing the plan and I offered you an explanation. That it is occurring on a large scale is worrying even if it has gone down.
And no, not only unions count when it comes to agreements. BUT, when you are talking about a trade agreement, you look at how trade (business, manufacturing) is done in that country. If you have an agreement on trading seafood…your main priority is how the seafood industry is doing…not about China and Tibet or whatever else.
The situation was not better under Andrés Pastrana Arango or Ernesto Samper or anyone else. if you cant admit that killing trade unionists is a problem, than that is on your shoulders.
I am not arguing for or against the plan, I just am showing the red herring.
and your title suggests that since people oppose it, that must mean that they support FARC. I guess by that logic, the conservatives that did not want the U.S to fight World War II were Nazi sympathizers. this is laughable.