THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 27, 1995 TAG: 9502240020
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Another View
SOURCE: By G. RUSSELL EVANS
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
At the beginning of the new Congress on Jan. 4, Rep. Philip M. Crane, R-Ill., introduced once again his resolution urging negotiations for U.S. base rights in Panama after 1999, the surrender date for the canal.
Congressman Crane for many years introduced his resolution, which was routinely killed by the Democrat-controlled Congresses. This year, under Republican control and with more conservative sentiments, the 104th Congress may well approve his ``sense of Congress'' resolution, then attach it to another bill and pass the whole thing - thereby solving the impasse of which nation asks first. Previously, Panamanian leaders, though favoring U.S. bases, had declined to ask.
Last year the Crane Resolution had 85 co-sponsors: 17 Democrats and 68 Republicans, indicating a bipartisan issue. Mr. Crane advised me that the chances are now good for early hearings before the House Subcommitee on Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Public-opinion polls both in Panama and the United States favor 3-to-1 continuing some U.S. bases. Economics and security are issues. The U.S. military has contributed almost 10 percent of the Panamanian economy, and the new slogan is ``Yanqui, stay here,'' not ``Yanqui, go home!''
The ``stand-down'' of U.S. installations in Panama will be 50 percent completed by the end of 1995, according to Col. Richard M. O'Connor, director of the Treaty of Implementation Plan. But the plan is ``flexible'' - and it is not too late to negotiate base rights.
Based on my recent visits to Panama and discussions there with Panamanian and U.S. officials, the following U.S. military assets are considered to have great significance for protecting U.S. interests at the Isthmus of Panama and are recommeded for negotiations:
Howard Air Force Base - an all-weather jet airport on 5,300 acres, supporting air operations, drug interdiction and command and control for U.S. operations in the Southern Hemisphere.
Galeta Island - a communications center which collects intelligence from both oceans and deals in breaking and intercepting codes from all sources, all facilitated by ideal geological magnetic conditions for these vital intelligence operations.
Fort Sherman - with its 25,000 acres of jungle, the most valuable jungle training center the U.S. has ever had. Japanese interests want to build an amusement park at Fort Sherman.
Rodman Naval Station - a deep-draft-port facility, providing vital support for U.S. warships transitting the canal.
Ancon Hill antenna array - provides the communications wherewithal for the U.S. Southern Command, one of eight strategic U.S. commands.
Quarry Heights Headquarters - of the Southern Command, controls and directs U.S. interests and operations from the Rio Grande to the tip of South America, an extremely valuable on-scene command center.
These U.S. military assets represent billions and billions of taxpayer dollars, invested to protect U.S. interests in the Southern Hemisphere. Clearly, the majority of Americans favor continuing some bases in Panama. Our senators and representatives in Congress hold the key to negotiations. What will they do? MEMO: Mr. Evans, who lives in Norfolk, is a retired U.S. Coast Guard captain
and author of ``The Panama Canal Treaties Swindle.''
by CNB