U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta spent this week in South America working to construct relations with Colombia, Brazil and Chile. At a time when the U.S. military faces hundreds of billions of greenbacks in budget cuts, the Pentagon hopes to rely more on its Latin American partners to cope with growing drug trafficking and terrorist threats within the region.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stopped first in Colombia, where U.S. trained commandos welcomed him with a hostage rescue demonstration and other maneuvers at a base two hours from Bogota.
Colombian forces, with billions of greenbacks in U.S. training and kit, have made major progress against drug traffickers and armed groups. The rustic is instantly shedding its violent image. Colombian troops now are passing on their experience by training security forces of alternative Latin American nations.
Handing off more responsibility to its regional partners is what the us wants at a time when its defense budget is shrinking and the threats of drug trafficking and terrorism are growing as are other threats to regional stability.
Venezuela and its military buildup was not at the official agenda, but Panetta voiced concerns over what he said is that country's loss of transparency. "The us doesn't object to the advance of a powerful military that gives security and that helps establish regional security. So, what Venezuela is doing in strengthening their military, we do not object to the indisputable fact that they may be strengthening their military. What we might be anxious about is how they use that military during this element of the arena," he said.
Panetta stopped next in Brazil, where the U.S. is looking for assist in training the military of African nations against a growing threat by terrorist groups.
The defense secretary spoke to officers at a war college in Rio de Janeiro.
"It is a relationship, the u. s. and Brazil, the connection between two global powers, and we welcome Brazil's growing strength. We support Brazil as a world leader, and seek closer defense cooperation because we believe that a much better and more globally engaged Brazil might be useful enhance international security for anybody," Penetta said.
Panetta is urging Brazil to shop for advanced U.S. Super Hornet fighter jets, while Brazil wants the us to buy the Brazilian Super Tucano fighter aircraft to be used by Afghan forces.
Panetta ended his tour in Chile, where he reinforced an already strong partnership with one in all America's closest allies inside the region.
From WhatNewsToday.net
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