Bush Orders Sanctions Against Venezuela

[Nambe]

Associated Press

President Bush on Friday ordered a partial cut in U.S. assistance to Venezuela because of its alleged role in the international trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation.

The action means the United States will not support $250 million in Venezuelan loan requests expected to come before international lending institutions during the next fiscal year, a State Department official said.

If Venezuela secures sufficient support from other governments, its loan requests could be approved without U.S. backing. ..

In an interview Friday with the Associated Press, Secretary of State Colin Powell said it remains to be seen whether the U.S.-Venezuelan relationship can recover from deep strains during the past several years. ..

Ride Don’t Drive * * It’s Global Cool

[necso]

1. Convenient excuse...

Do you suppose that there is any truth in it?

[LynnTheDem]

4. Nope.

You want trafficking in females, take a look at bush's good pals, Saudi Arabia, for starters.

[Born Free]

11. but...but..where are the WMD?

or...what will we tell our children?

[DemoTex]

23. Just look at Neil Bu$h.

Whore-monger extraordinaire.

[Occulus]

42. Strange....

....this happens here as well. Think "seamstresses from China".

[Quetzal]

7. Bush doesn't give a damn about the rights of people

[TreasonousBastard]

18. Could be...

"white slavery" is good business all around the world.

But, the major trafficking I've heard of is through Eastern Europe and the Balkans, often through using Israel and Italy as gateways. Newspaper ads promising poor Russian girls good jobs in the West is a common way. Some of them end up here.

There's a lot more of it in Africa and South and Southeast Asia, too. Amazing how many parents will sell their kids if watching them starve to death is the only other option.

So, yeah, if it's going on everywhere else in the world, why not Venezuela?

(I'd kinda like to see them go after Brazil, first, though)

[AP]

36. Of all the problems in the world, this isn't the biggest, but it's the...

...most convenient to promote your fascist goals.

[MisterP]

80. the oh-so-free Eastern Europe: mobsters and mail-order brides

all hail the neoliberalized economy!

[Spinzonner]

2. Yes, Venezuela should be condemned

for allowing the US to sponsor an almost successful coup d'etat against a constitutionally elected government.

How outrageous of them.

[LynnTheDem]

3. bush is having another temper tantrum

And continues to make America look like a spoiled vengeful little brat.

Doesn't the entire world ALREADY hate us enough, bushler???

[Spinzonner]

6. I assume that's a rhetorical question

[Quetzal]

5. HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!

Bush will stop at nothing to get Chavez out of power.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Laughable. What a sick, stupid man.

His State Department has been throwing these obnoxious accusations around freely at various countries since he stole the White House.

He's really scraping the bottom of the barrel to find any reason at all to make things rough for Venezuela, since his coup didn't "take," as the people of Venezuela PREVENTED the damned thing.

He needs to butt out.

[ochazuke]

9. No credibility

The lead must be rewritten:

...ordered a partial cut in U.S. assistance to Venezuela, CLAIMING THAT it has and alleged role...

We all know the real reason: Venezuelans stood up to empire.

[DBoon]

65. Real reason has to do with oil

If Venezuela did not have one of the world's largest petroleum reserves, you know we would be doing nothing (just like we are doing nothing about Burma).

[IcyPeas]

73. It's the "O" - You win DBoon...

you are the first one in this thread to mention OIL. that was the first thing that came to my mind as soon as I saw Venezuela. THEY HAVE OIL. Why else would Bush & Cronies care. This is unbelievable.

[punpirate]

10. Having failed to accomplish regime change through...

... recall elections, the Bushies then cut off outside funds. Another Haiti in the making? I wouldn't be stupid for thinking so.

[Judi Lynn]

12. In Venezuela, Kerry Would Beat Bush

September 10, 2004
In Venezuela, Kerry Would Beat Bush



(CPOD) Sept. 10, 2004 – Venezuelan adults would choose John Kerry in the 2004 United States presidential election, according to a poll by GlobeScan and Sigma Dos for the Program on International Policy Attitudes. 48 per cent of respondents would like the Democratic nominee to win the 2004 United States presidential election, while 22 per cent would keep Republican incumbent George W. Bush.

The American electoral race makes no difference for 23 per cent of respondents, while seven per cent are undecided. The U.S. presidential ballot is scheduled for Nov. 2.

The tenure of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez—who defeated a recall effort last month—has been marred by controversy and strained relations with the U.S. The president visited Saddam Hussein in 2000, and has been a constant critic of Washington’s foreign policy. The U.S. did not immediately condemn the 48-hour coup that briefly toppled Chávez in April 2002.

In a June op-ed piece for the Miami Herald, Kerry criticized the Bush administration’s policies on Venezuela, which "welcomed a new government installed by the generals as the elected president sat in military custody, only to see the president restored to power within hours."
(snip/...)

http://www.cpod.ubc.ca/polls/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewItem&itemID=4101

[EST]

13. Venezuela is an oil exporter,

a rather large one whose biggest customer iu US. These damnable cretins want to own every concentrated energy source on the planet. May they rot in hell. 7 weeks 2 days!

[oasis]

14. Venezuelan oil won't be readily available for the Bushista regime.

Toooooo bad. :-(

[Sugarbleus]

15. OMFG!! He said the exact same thing about CUBA!! Remember??

Geeeeeeeeez, you dork Boooooooooosh, at least find a new lie to tell.

Castro was on the C-span last month I think reading that book "Bush on the Couch" and telling his "audience" how bush was cutting off travel to the island because of Cuba's trafficking in pedophiles and the sex industry!!!!!!

Castro was on the tv at that time, but the Bush plan was set into place much before then...back in the spring I think.

[Rose Siding]

37. The "Red Monster" charge doesn't have the same punch...

what with free elections and all.

It's thoroughly disgusting to look back and see how carefully they laid plans for this new mantra.

Communism? *shuffle pages* No, that democracy thing gets in the way. Socialism? No, not scary enough in all demographics. Nazism? No, too trite. AHA! Human rights abuses as a tool for expanding corporate power! Perfect!

Perfectly disgusting.

[Sugarbleus]

81. I hope this gets rubbed in his face the way Castro did it to him

a little while back. This is just too stupid to let slip. I'll be waiting to see what becomes of this remark. Hoo boy!

Matter of fact, I may shoot this over to the Kerry peeps. It boggles my mind.

[0007]

16. I believe the U.S. receives about 16% of our oil from Venezuela?

Didn't the U.S. try to overthrow Venezuela? The sanctions are to punish, or to accomplish just what purpose?

[Barkley]

45. Q: "sanctions are to ... accomplish what purpose?" A: regime change -nt

[htuttle]

51. YOU CAN'T UNILATERALLY PUT SANCTIONS ON AN OIL EXPORTING COUNTRY

Well, you can try, but it won't work. The only reason sanctions against Iraq worked at all was because the UN got the whole world behind it. That's not going to happen with Venezuela.

So we put sanctions on Venezuela, so Venezuela sells all it's oil to China, who supplies Venezuela with any consumer goods that we won't sell it. Where do you think most of the consumer goods in the US come from anyway? Probably be a lot cheaper, too.

The only ones to lose on this deal would be US exporters. Brilliant!

:eyes:

[Union Thug]

17. This is all about Bush's jerking off the rich...

Let's face it, fortunate sons like bushie go out of their way to attack anyone that would dare stand up for the working class and the poor. This is a handjob to his rich brethren down south.

The rich hold the rest of us in contempt. And I hate them right back. This is one hatred I will pass on to my kids.

[theoceansnerves]

19. good effing night

could this be any MORE transparent?!

[prodigal_green]

20. Will he sanction the US too?

Apparently we are one of the biggest IMPORTERS of trafficked humans.

Big story a few weeks back in the NY Times. This shit is literally happening in my neighborhood in Queens.

on edit: this is from our own state department. It is everywhere. Sanction everybody you asshole.

http://usinfo.state.gov/eap/Archive_Index/Human_Trafficking_Transnational_Crime_and_Links_with_Terrorism.html

unfortunately, the trafficking of women and children is an international tragedy, but with the chimpministration's involvement, it will only get worse, like EVERYTHING they touch.

[Karmadillo]

25. And Europe, too

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-us-venezuela,0,6313840.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

<edit>

The report added that Venezuelans are trafficked internally for the domestic sex trade and to Western Europe, particularly Spain.

more...

[Karmadillo]

27. Sanctions on Israel to follow: Sex Trade Flourishing In Holy Land

Well, maybe not.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/24/world/main541762.shtml

(AP) After a five-hour drive over the Egyptian desert, Inna crawled through a tunnel under a border fence, brushed sand off her pants and waited with seven other women to be taken to their new jobs.

Running from poverty in her homeland of Moldova, Inna had come to the Holy Land to enter a profession as old as the Bible — prostitution.

A $1 billion-a-year sex trade, reputedly one of the biggest of its kind in the world, has sprung up in Israel over the past decade. Every year, hundreds of women from eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union are smuggled into Israel.

The trafficking is linked to the Russian mafia taking root in Israel as a byproduct of mass immigration from the former Soviet Union. Many of the women are spirited in across Israel's border with Egypt, which runs along 200 miles of desert that is difficult to guard against smuggling.

more...

[Barkley]

46. Great Article Karmadillo!

:kick:

[Judi Lynn]

55. No kidding. The pResident's got his work all cut out for him, doesn't he?

_Bush can become the PROSTITUTION pRESIDENT! He'll force coups and sanctions on countries he doesn't like (which don't like his tyrannical ways) and accuse them of trafficking, while overlooking his pet countries which appear more than soiled.

[The Zanti Regent]

74. Wht am I not surprised?

Why is Israel allowed to buy off Republican politicians, you know, the same ones who lied about Clinton getting $$$$ from the Chinese government...

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

21. Always on a Friday...

doncha know? And, coincidentally enough, Rush, Sean and the other blabbermouths will pick up the mantra on Monday...

Diversion, anyone?

I hope Chavez tells him to stick it...

[shadu]

22. Yet another transparent bush move

If it's the wrong, petty, self-serving, evil thing to do -
that f*cker is on it

[bushisanidiot]

24. AWOL is punishing Venezuelans for keeping Chavez in office

his second attempt at a coup didn't work.

Sorry Georgie boy.. Venezuela isn't California.

[lostnfound]

30. Jealous that Chavez IS democratically elected. nt

[htuttle]

26. China is willing to buy every drop of Venezuelan oil we don't want

And if we put sanctions on Venezuela, they may as well sell all of it to China.

Nice move, Shrub. He's obviously putting that MBA to work again.....

:eyes:

[0007]

28. After 'ya been body slamed, 'ya gotta strike out at someone, 'eh?

[leesa]

29. Oh. Another completely bogus charge to try to force Venezuela under

These people are sooooo evil.

[Eloriel]

59. Not only that, he's USING women and children for his bogus

assault on VZ. I'm am SO outraged by Bush doing this -- the fact that he's using women only adds salt to the wound.

So many times during these 4 years I've thought to myself: it just can't get any worse. And it always, always does.

[MaineDem]

64. Exactly!

That was my first thought.

He'll now say...or send Laura out to say...that his administration is doing more for the women of the world. Just look at what we did for Venezuela.

Pardon me but I'm going to puke!

[Judi Lynn]

31. Don't tell me which one is more beloved by ALL the people!

I don't think it's BOOOOOOsh.

[donkeyotay]

32. war on terra needs some splaining

Venezuela appears as the clearest example that the war on terra is really an economic war by corporations against people or a political war by the right against the left.

This continues a long tradition of turning the world into a cesspool one special operation at a time.

If the so-called capitalists want to make socialism impossible, they will probably make an eventual resurgence of communism inevitable.

[Gregorian]

33. Judging from the polls, Americans have no idea who Bush is.

And I ask at what point would they walk to the White House and pull him out of his chair?
Utterly incredible, the bold stupidity going on in that highest of offices in the USA. A true world embarrassment.

[drscm]

34. This "man" has nothing but sex on his mind. eom

eom

[acmavm]

57. Really, one has to wonder what it is in his mind that makes him

constantly obsess over sex. That is just so frigging weird and sick.

Any psycologists on this board? Maybe someone could give a few hints as to why this guy's mind is always in the gutter.

[AP]

35. It's 1920 all over again. Right Wingers used "white slavery" to achieve

conservative, racist, anti-Chinese, anti-immigration policies 100 years ago.

I can't believe they're trotting this shit out again.

[Rose Siding]

38. Venezuela is having a moment of silence for us today

(10:31 AM) Momento de silencio en tercer aniversario de ataque del 11 septiembre

http://www.eluniversal.com/2004/09/11/int_ava_11A491875.shtml

[GOPAgainstGW]

39. GREAT LET'S SCREW THE WHOLE WORLD SO TERRORIST MILLIONS WANT TO KILL US!!

[dArKeR]

40. I can prove the Philippines is allowing child prostitution and the CIA

knows about it along with Ambassador Francis Ricciardone knows this. Let's see a 60 Minutes story on this! The entire Arroyo government is involved. Tell me about the morality of our Christian leaders Bush and Arroyo!

[Judi Lynn]

44. I've heard it, too, dArKeR.

Since President Gloria Arroyo's willing to be submissive to our right-wing, she's not going to get ####ed with like a President who tries to do what's REALLY right for his people.

[Algomas]

67. What is up with that kiss? It looks like he is sucking the brains out...

of that poor child.

[Judi Lynn]

69. Damned creepy. Yeeeeuckkkkk. Shudder. She's stuck, too.Can't escape.n/t

[PurityOfEssence]

41. Chavez should cut off all oil to the U.S. now

This is a prelude to what will be our third coup attempt in the Bush administration; if he doesn't see this coming, he underestimates this mob.

[Barkley]

47. Or better yet, VZ could export oil in euros instead of dollars - nt

[Bozita]

50. Didn't Saddam do exactly that?

[Barkley]

54. Yep!

I also understand North Korea has changed to the euro.

In fact, Chavez should have switched to the euro right after the failed coupe.

That would send a strong message to Washington.

Although the US is a powerful nation, the Iraqi resistance has shown that power has limitations.

VZ has other options as well:

They already barter oil with other Latin American countries.

VZ is a founding member of OPEC.

Chavez has already said that an invasion would be countered by oil reductions to the US

According to activist/ writer Gloria La Riva Cuba has 14,000 Cuban doctors who have saved 16,000 lives of mostly poor children and the elderly.

[TankLV]

43. Time to try for another coup.

The first 4 or 5 didn't work - Hugo's been proven to be democratically elected and not a "dictator" no matter how some evene here wish that lable on him, and favored by a landslide, so got to figure another way to get him out.

[jeanmarc]

48. Where the hell is the proof of the charge?

I read the papers, this is the first I've heard of Venezuela, AS A GOVERNMENT, trafficking women and children. I mean, what the fuck is this about?

George, your brother Neil has committed these crimes. He engaged in the trafficking of women and children AT THE SAME TIME.

GOD, I HATE THESE FUCKING DEGENERATES IN OUR WHITE HOUSE!!!

[Barkley]

52. "Proof"!? Who needs proof -- God is instructing Bush!

If they offered proof who would believe it?

Bush Adm. lies so much the truth doesn't matter anymore.

What ever comes out of his mouth I take as lies.

[Barkley]

49. A completely stupid idea because sanctions hurt the poor

and the poor in VZ are Chavez's strongest supporters. And the poor are not likely to remove Chavez for someone of Washington's liking.

According to activist/ writer Gloria La Riva the poor make up about 80% of VZ pop. and the results of the recall election as well as the failed coup shows that VZ poor are conscious, active and ready to defend the Bolivarian Revolution.

But Bush's sanctios will only serve to polarize VZ even more and give Chavez more justification for continuing and expanding trade with Cuba and bartering oil with other Latin American countries.

Bartering oil reduces the demand for the dollar which in turn reduces its value.

Well just goes to show how much America loves democracy.

I thought Bush would do what Reagan did to Nicaragua (Ortega)fund rebel groups to harass and overthrough the gov't.

[Judi Lynn]

58. I would imagine he's already invested in that behavior.

Months ago, before the recall vote which failed for the "opposition," over 100 Colombian paramilitaries were found on a ranch near Caracas belonging to Cuban "exile" Roberto Alonso (brother of actress Maria Conchita Alonso who has been in movies with der Gropenfuhrer) along with arms and ammunition.

During questioning they claimed to have responded to offers of money to go to Venezuela to fight. We had been reading articles prior to this event concerning Colombian paramilitaries coming into Venezuela and going through small towns offering to mount attacks on local politicians.

Plan Colombia has given 3.15 BILLION dollars to Colombia in the last few years, accepted officially by Alvaro Uribe who has also been pressing for his government to offer complete amnesty to the right-wing paramilitaries who have been butchering people in the small towns with chain-saws.

December 16, 2002

Bush and Uribe Undermine UN Security Council

by Garry Leech

During the first weekend in December, the Bush administration pulled off what amounts to a diplomatic coup d'etat at the United Nations Security Council. But the White House did not carry out this illegitimate seizure of power alone. Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe proved to be an invaluable ally in helping Washington undermine the legitimate decision-making processes of the Security Council with regards to the handling of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction disclosure. Only days before Colombia's UN Ambassador Alfonso Valdivieso blatantly violated an agreement between Security Council members by handing over the Iraqi report to Bush administration officials, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had been in Bogotá discussing the war on terror—and U.S. aid—with President Uribe.
(snip)


It can be assumed that Colombia’s Ambassador Valdivieso was acting with full authorization from President Uribe, who has once again shown his authoritarian nature. This time the Colombian leader acted in conjunction with President Bush, who has often displayed similar authoritarian tendencies. Given the track record of these two leaders, it should not come as a surprise that they would work together to implement a scheme that violates all existing UN Security Council protocol.

For his part, Uribe will receive even more U.S. military support as he escalates the conflict in Colombia by seeking a military solution to primarily social and economic problems. As for Bush, it is just the latest in a series of statements and actions that clearly illustrate his total lack of respect for the United Nations. For months Bush has made it clear that he intends to overthrow Saddam Hussein with or without UN approval. This latest act of diplomatic piracy also shows that the Bush White House is not beyond undermining the legitimacy of the United Nations in order to fulfill its Iraqi agenda.
(snip/...)

http://www.colombiajournal.org/colombia144.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He can use Colombia as a base and resource for conducting filthy business on Chavez.

[Barkley]

53. The New World Order: If you're not Iraq, Afghan, Haiti, or VZ

you're next!

[Gregorian]

56. Coming from someone who is terrorizing the children of nations

It's the ultimate in hypocracy. Right now, children cower in what's left of their houses, to the noise of helicopters and planes, paid for by our taxes. Can you imagine growing up that way?
Fuck the sex slave bullshit. You can't fool all of us.
Bush, there's a place in hell just warming up for you.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

60. Chimp wildly flinging feces again in frustration and anger

EEEEK! EEEEK! EEEEK!

[Judi Lynn]

63. Yeah, he's gotta feel bent out of shape. He's not so successful, is he?

"George Bush's pResidential Campaign" by Steve Bell, Guardian

[Algomas]

71. Good one aintnolife! Where is the zookeeper when you need one?

[Logansquare]

61. Oh, so we are probably sanctioning Cambodia and the Ukraine

and other countries where sexual trafficking is out of control, right?
What an utterly shameless group of thieves and liars, these people.

[Minstrel Boy]

62. you gotta be fuckin' kidding me!

Oh wait, I just remembered the past four years. Never mind.

[xxqqqzme]

66. 1st Cuba, now Venezuela

here seems 2 B a theme developing here.

[struggle4progress]

77. " ... between 244,000 and 325,000 American children are at risk ...

of being victimized by commercial sexual exploitation each year. In addition, the U.S. Government estimates that approximately 50,000 women and children are trafficked into the United States annually for service in the sex trade."

http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/wvususfo.nsf/stable/globalissues_childprotection_sexexploit

[LynneSin]

68. Come on folks, this has NOTHING to do with Chavez....

...which btw, did you hear the moon is made of Blue Cheese!

:crazy:

[bvar22]

70. Republicans are ....

...pee running down their legs scared of Chavez.

Imagine, a brown skinned inferior democratically elected and re- elected by a majority of the citizens who believes that the natural wealth of the country should be used to advance the commonwealth of the citizens!

Something like this could catch on.

[Whoa_Nelly]

72. Sanctions first

War For Oil on agenda. Democracy exists there, just not Bush's form of small government, limited rights "democracy".
Bush :spank: Venezuela
Hope someday we get to :spank: Bush

[struggle4progress]

75. Venezuela Objects to American Sanctions

09.11.2004, 11:13 PM

Venezuela's information minister on Saturday criticized a U.S. plan to withdraw support for $250 million in loan requests by his country because of its alleged role in the international trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation. <snip>

Bush's action - announced Friday in a memo to Secretary of State Colin Powell - is backed by legislation calling for sanctions against countries that fail to crack down on international trafficking in persons. The legislation is designed to encourage countries to take decisive action against the practice.

Izarra said Venezuela was not concerned about the lack of U.S. support for funding channeled through international organizations. The loans could be approved without U.S. backing if Venezuela secures sufficient support from other governments.

"We don't believe that the U.S. vote is enough to stop the loans," Izarra said. <snip>

http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2004/09/11/ap1540557.html

[FlemingsGhost]

76. The only thing more ridiculous is Kerry will back it.

Mark my words.

[LincolnMcGrath]

78. VENEZUELA FLORIDATED

Will The Gang That Fixed Florida Fix the Vote in Caracas this Sunday?

by Greg Palast




Will The Gang That Fixed Florida Fix the Vote in Caracas this Sunday?
by Greg Palast



Hugo Chavez drives George Bush crazy. Maybe it's jealousy: Unlike Mr. Bush, Chavez, in Venezuela, won his Presidency by a majority of the vote.



Or maybe it's the oil: Venezuela sits atop a reserve rivaling Iraq's. And Hugo thinks the US and British oil companies that pump the crude ought to pay more than a 16% royalty to his nation for the stuff. Hey, sixteen percent isn't even acceptable as a tip at a New York diner.


http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=358&row=0

[LincolnMcGrath]

79. Blondes in revolt

Most telling were Chávez's laws to which Carmona and coup leaders objected. The prime evil was the Ley De Tierras, the new land law which promised to give unused land to the landless, in particular, properties held out of production by the big plantation owners for more than two years. But Chávez's tenure would not have been threatened had he not also taken on the international petroleum giants. Chávez's crimes against the oil industry's interests included passing a law that doubled the royalty taxes paid by ExxonMobil and other oil operators from about 16 per cent to roughly 30 per cent on new finds. He had also moved to take control of the state oil company PDVSA - nominally owned by the government, but in fact in thrall to the foreign operators.

Chávez had almost single-handedly rebuilt the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) by committing Venezuela to adhere to its OPEC sales quotas, causing world oil prices to double to over $20 per barrel. It was this oil money which paid for the 'bricks and milk' programme and put Chávez head to head against ExxonMobil, the number-one extractor of Venezuelan oil.

This was no minor matter to the US. As OPEC's general secretary Alí Rodriguéz says: 'The dependence of the US on oil is increasing progressively. Venezuela is one of the most important suppliers of the US, and the stability of Venezuela is very important for .' It was the South American nation that broke the back of the 1973 Arab oil embargo by increasing output from its vast reserves way beyond its OPEC quota. Indeed, I learned from Alí Rodriguéz that the 12 April coup against Chávez was triggered by US fears of a renewed Arab oil embargo. Iraq and Libya were trying to organize OPEC to stop exporting oil to the US to protest American support of Israel. US access to Venezuela's oil suddenly became urgent.

http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=169&row=1

[daleo]

82. With the price of oil, will Venezuela need this money?

Even if they do, it seems quite likely that other governments wouldn't mind taking down Bush a peg or two, by supporting the loan over U.S. objections.

[Judi Lynn]

83. Well, Missouri's in trouble, then, according to the Rule of Bush!

Just heard a news report on a Kansas City radio station describing prostitution and forced labor in Missouri. Went to Google, found the following article from the Kansas City Star:

Posted on Mon, Sep. 13, 2004

Eastern Missouri task force looks to address human trafficking

JIM SUHR
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS - Local, state and federal authorities hope a new task force in eastern Missouri can help identify and aid victims of human trafficking - people often held captive and forced into sweat shops, domestic servitude, agriculture or prostitution.

The regional Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, unveiled here Monday, seeks to coordinate policing and prosecution efforts as the latest of about 20 task forces the Justice Department looks to roll out nationwide by year's end.Though the number of cases of human trafficking appears low in eastern Missouri, "all indications are there are more victims," said James Martin, the U.S. attorney for Missouri's eastern district.

The task force expects to "make a very concerted effort to ferret out all the victims" and raise awareness of the largely hidden, "horrendous" crime, Martin said.

"It is what is known as modern-day human slavery," he said during a news conference involving many of the new task force's members, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, St. Louis city and county prosecutors, and various police, social services and community agencies.

"Too few Americans are aware of the crime of human trafficking or its magnitude," he said.

Every year, the U.S. government has said, an estimated 14,000 to 20,000 people are brought to the United States, often with the promise of a better life, only to be forced into prostitution or other slave labor.
(snip)

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/9652386.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looks like Missourians had better batten down the hatches: it's going to be a rough ride, once _Bush finds out about this and starts up sanctioning them. God have mercy on their souls!

[drscm]

84. This just in: Neil plans South American tour. eom

eom