56 lines
2.4 KiB
Plaintext
56 lines
2.4 KiB
Plaintext
Dear marc frucht: 13 May 1999
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Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the School
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of the Americas. I appreciate having the benefit of your views
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on this matter.
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I am appalled at the very high number of SOA graduates who have
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been implicated in human rights abuses throughout Latin America,
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especially those responsible for the killings of the Jesuits in
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San Salvador, and others cited as human rights violators by the
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U.N. Truth Commission.
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I recognize that the Pentagon and others have argued that the SOA
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plays an important role in the professionalization of Latin
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American military leaders by providing training in human rights
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and in the appropriate role of the military vis-a-vis civilian
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governments in democratic societies. However, I believe the long
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record of abuses perpetrated by many of the School's graduates
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undermines the strength of those arguments. To the contrary,
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closing the SOA would be an important signal of the
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Administration's commitment to promoting human rights and
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democratic institutions throughout Latin America.
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As you may know, I am an original cosponsor of S. 908, a bill
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which would require the Secretary of the Army to close the SOA.
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This legislation is currently being considered by the Senate
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Committee on Armed Services. In addition, the FY 1998 Foreign
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Operations Appropriations bill signed into law by the President
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on November 26, 1997, mandates that no funding shall be provided
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for military training at the SOA until the Secretary of Defense
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certifies that certain requirements have been met. First, it
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must be consistent with the training provided to U.S. military
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personnel. Second, specific guidelines regarding the selection
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and admission of students to the SOA must be established.
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Finally, the Secretary of Defense must submit a report to the
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Committee on Appropriations detailing training activities and
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providing an assessment of the performance of the SOA's 1996
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graduates.
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As I have stated previously, I believe we continue to spend too
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much on international military aid, education and training, and I
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will continue to oppose wasteful and unnecessary spending in this
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area which could better be used to meet pressing domestic needs.
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Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope that you will
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continue to keep me informed about matters that concern you.
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Sincerely,
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Paul David Wellstone
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United States Senator
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