Speech by Sen. Ted Stevens (R- Alaska), June 23, 2004

Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I support the Armed Services Committee recommendation. It was also the administration's position that this cap on military personnel in Colombia be increased to 1,400. Senator Byrd's amendment reduces that to 500.

There has been dramatic success in the war on drugs in Colombia. I have spent a great deal of time trying to keep up with this. The President of Colombia, Mr. Uribe, deserves a great deal of credit. We should support his continued efforts. His efforts have caused terrorist organizations to come to the peace table.

If we were to reduce our support now, they would have no reason to stay at the peace table. More U.S. personnel will only move the process forward.

I do not think we should go back to limiting our assistance to the Government of Colombia, as suggested by my good friend from West Virginia. I personally spent time with the commander of the U.S. Southern Command, GEN James Hill, as did the

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chairman of the Armed Services Committee. We were briefed, as were other members of the subcommittee, on the situation there. He has strongly urged us to support the administration's request to raise this cap.
It is my hope, depending on the circumstances here in the Senate, that a group of us can travel to Colombia this year and examine firsthand what is going on down there.

This country could be a beacon now against terrorism in South America. It is something we should support. We should not retreat from the war on terrorism. The increase to 1,400 is necessary to support this Colombian President, who has done so well, particularly against narcoterrorism.

I urge the Senate to support the request as it is stated in the Armed Services Committee bill, which is also the request of the administration. It certainly is the request of this Senator, who spent a great deal of time considering the problems in Colombia.

I yield the floor.

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