US Troops to Peru
An unknown number of US troops will carry out a joint military drill "Landing-Assault and Security Operation -LASO" in Peru December 9-22.

Peru State-run news agency Andina informed Thursday that Congress approved a resolution that also okays US military presence in Peru from February 4 through March 8, 2007.

LASO will target “narco-terrorism” and involves the local Navy and special naval troops from central Pucallpa forest region.

A recent resolution also allows the presence of foreign troops in Peru without weapons and without the need for legislative consent.

"Nuestra Bandera" daily denounced the action by the Peruvian Congress, with Aprista Party and conservative forces as majority, approving an agreement to increase US military presence.

The paper said that while theoretically the Pentagon would participate in anti-drug surveillance over Amazonian rivers riddled with drug trafficking, the approval ties Peru to President George W. Bush´ warmongering policy.

Nuestra Bandera director Gustavo Espinoza added that both countries may agree to transfer the US military base Manta, now in Ecuador, to Peru since a nationalist [Rafael Correa] won the recent presidential race.