Argentina Confiscates U.S. Air Force Cargo

[NCTexan]

WSJ:

Argentina Confiscates U.S. Air Force Cargo

Argentina's relations with the U.S. worsened sharply Monday as the South American country continued to hold military equipment it confiscated last week from a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane sent as part of a training course for local police.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Arturo Valenzuela, called on Argentina to return the property without delay.

"It's absolutely necessary that they immediately return that material. It makes no sense for it to have been confiscated this way. This material was intended for a joint exercise in training people to rescue hostages," Mr. Valenzuela Monday said on CNN en Espanol.

Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman quickly rebutted Mr. Valenzuela and called on the U.S. to apologize for violating Argentine law.

"I told him, 'Arturo, we have to be careful about this. The laws are made to be followed here and in the U.S. We all need to follow them,'" Mr. Timerman said on CNN en Espanol.

Mr. Timerman accused the U.S. of using the plane to smuggle undeclared firearms, surveillance equipment and "various doses of morphine" into the country for ulterior motives.

He also said that U.S. officials have refused to offer any explanation about the seized material, something State Department officials adamantly deny.

"They refuse to collaborate with us," he said, adding that Argentina has lodged a formal complaint with the U.S. government and will return the cargo only after investigators say they no longer need it.

Mr. Timerman personally supervised the seizure of the cargo at Argentina's Ezeiza International Airport as perplexed U.S. officials looked on.

A State Department official familiar with the seizure told Dow Jones Newswires most of the material, which was intended for use in a hostage-rescue course, had been properly declared and previously approved by Argentine authorities.

The only thing that hadn't been declared was the medication confiscated at the airport, said the official, who asked to remain anonymous because of the delicate nature of the issue.

Relations between Argentina and the U.S. have deteriorated rapidly since U.S. President Barack Obama said in January that he would visit El Salvador, Brazil and Chile next month, skipping Argentina.

[clearvision]

Why would his skipping their country worsen relations?

[NCTexan]

Why would his skipping their country worsen relations?

Good point Clearvision!

 

I don't know too much about the Argentinian mentality. But it seems in the past that they've take great pride in hosting some pretty nefarious individuals.

[Pepper]

NCTexan

 

Mr. Timerman accused the U.S. of using the plane to smuggle undeclared firearms, surveillance equipment and "various doses of morphine" into the country for ulterior motives.

 

Maybe Timerman misspoke. Some thirty odd years ago Argentinian authorities threw 10,000+ opponents out of helicopters and planes, they drugged them. Just sayin'

 

More to the point, the Wikileaks didn't help relations any. Cankles is quoted questioning mental health of La Presidente:

 

WikiLeaks: Hillary Clinton questions the mental health of Cristina Kirchner

 

Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, questioned the mental health of President Cristina Kirchner of Argentina and asked American diplomats if she was taking medication to help her "calm down".

[SrWoodchuck]

NCTexan

 

Mr. Timerman accused the U.S. of using the plane to smuggle undeclared firearms, surveillance equipment and "various doses of morphine" into the country for ulterior motives.

 

Maybe Timerman misspoke. Some thirty odd years ago Argentinian authorities threw 10,000+ opponents out of helicopters and planes, they drugged them. Just sayin'

 

More to the point, the Wikileaks didn't help relations any. Cankles is quoted questioning mental health of La Presidente:

 

WikiLeaks: Hillary Clinton questions the mental health of Cristina Kirchner

 

Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, questioned the mental health of President Cristina Kirchner of Argentina and asked American diplomats if she was taking medication to help her "calm down".

How very diplomatic of her. She's a paragon of protocol, and a daredevil of diplomats.