Pubdate: Wed, 13 Sep 2000
Source: Miami Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2000 The Miami Herald
Contact:  One Herald Plaza, Miami FL 33132-1693
Fax: (305) 376-8950
Website: http://www.herald.com/
Forum: http://krwebx.infi.net/webxmulti/cgi-bin/WebX?mherald
Author: Carol Rosenberg

SOUTHCOM CHIEF MEETS DADE LEADERS

The Pentagon's new commander-in-chief for U.S. military operations in 
Latin America said Tuesday that his priorities will include 
implementing Plan Colombia and insuring that Southern Command 
headquarters remain in Miami.  

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, 54, made his remarks in a luncheon meeting with 
business leaders hosted by The Herald, four days after he replaced Gen. 
Charles Wilhelm, a fellow Marine.  

Southcom, which supervises most U.S. military activities in Latin 
America and the Caribbean, moved to Miami from Panama three years ago. 
Wilhelm has asked Congress through the Army, which administers Pentagon 
property, to buy the now-temporary headquarters near Miami 
International Airport for $40 million. Pace said he is supporting that 
request.  

On Plan Colombia, the general was careful to stress that the U.S. 
military has only a limited role in President Andres Pastrana's 
overarching $7.5 billion plan aimed at undermining the insurgency, 
linked to narco-trafficking, that has corrupted his country. In all, 
the United States has contributed $1.3 billion.  

STATE DEPARTMENT  

Much of the program is being supervised by the State Department, 
including the provision of helicopters for counternarcotics operations 
and programs to bolster Bogota's democratic institutions.  

Pace, who served as a rifleman in Vietnam, said he was satisfied that 
U.S. involvement in the Colombian conflict would not be similar to the 
Vietnam war, in part because U.S. forces in Colombia could not 
accompany Colombian anti-drug battalions on their missions.  

Instead, the trainers -- who number about 100 -- remain behind in huge 
Colombian military bases while local forces go on drug-eradication 
operations.  

Pace also said he has yet to meet Pastrana but would travel to Colombia 
in coming days, his first swing through Latin America as commander in 
chief. The trip will also make stops in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.  

TO JUDGE SUCCESS  

Former supervisor of Marines in the Southern Command region, Pace also 
said he would judge whether Plan Colombia is successful based on the 
performance of U.S. troops in providing helicopter and anti-drug 
training to the Colombians.  

By a larger measure, he said, the program should be judged on a range 
of assistance provided by the United States -- including to Colombian 
schools, health clinics and monetary reform.  

Luncheon guests at The Herald included: University of Miami President 
Edward "Tad" Foote; St. Thomas University President the Rev. Msgr. 
Franklyn M. Casale; Totalbank Chairman Adrienne Arsht; and County 
Manager Merrett Stierheim.  
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MAP posted-by: John Chase