U.S. Southcom Commander visits P.M.
Were it not for the presence of three military helicopters, you might not have known that Belize was today visited by one of the highest ranking members of the United States Army. Under heavy security, General John Craddock, Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, arrived in Belize for a one-day business trip. The Southern Command is responsible for the conduct of U.S. military operations within Central and South America and the Caribbean. The four star general met with government officials and attended a working luncheon hosted by Brigadier General Lloyd Gillett, Commander of the Belize Defence Force. During that meeting, the generals discussed new security challenges and threats to the hemisphere like drug smuggling and illegal trafficking of persons. From Price Barracks in Ladyville, General Craddock was flown to Belize City where he paid a call on Prime Minister Said Musa. According to the P.M., relations between Belize and the U.S. military are A-Okay.
Prime Minister Said Musa
?Belize and the United States have an ongoing military assistance programme. They assist us with a thing called IMET, which is an International Military Education Training programme, as well as from time to time we purchase, we do foreign sales of military hardware from them for weapons, ammunition and so on with the U.S. assistance. So he came and we discussed the existing programmes and he confirmed that the United States is very keen on maintaining strong military assistance to Belize. I raised to him our concern about the renewal of military assistance to our neighbour and he explained the U.S. government?s position on that, but assured me that the programme with Belize will be stepped up and increased as well and that it had everything to do with the improvement in human rights conditions in that country. We also discussed areas of enhancing the assistance programme from the United States to Belize. The General was very upbeat and very supportive and was very impressed with what he saw. He was also very impressed with the work that Belize is doing in terms of the interdiction, fighting the war against drugs and said that Belize is one of the most outstanding in this region in that war against drugs.?
According to a Belize Government press release, General Craddock is quoted as saying that “Belize is to be commended for their efforts to maintain regional stability. I look forward to a continued strong relationship with the government and security forces of Belize.” From the Prime Minister’s office, General Craddock and his entourage were taken to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex where they boarded the helicopters and departed the country.
