Honduras: Continuing U.S. Military Presence at Soto Cano Base Is Not Critical
NSIAD-95-39
Published: Feb 08, 1995. Publicly Released: Feb 08, 1995.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed whether the U.S. military presence at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras is critical to current U.S. activities and objectives in the region, focusing on: (1) the cost of maintaining U.S. forces at the base; (2) U.S. objectives for regional economic growth and democratic reform; (3) drug interdiction activities; and (4) the withdrawal of U.S. forces from an air base in Panama.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should reduce U.S. military personnel at Soto Cano to the level necessary to support counterdrug activities, pending the development of other arrangements to support those counterdrug activities. |
DOD has changed the mission for units at the base, including organizations and types of activities. DOD believes that there is sufficient reason to not fully withdraw, as GAO recommended. However, consistent with the GAO recommendation, there has been a reduction in U.S. military presence and activities. Personnel levels have been reduced from 1,288 to about 500 and the number of helicopters was reduced from 33 to 10. The number of large exercises and bilateral activities has been reduced. According to DOD officials, these changes reduced the cost of maintaining a U.S. military presence in Honduras and still meet U.S. military needs in the region. The annual operating budget was reduced from $35 million to $14.5 million.
|
| Department of Defense | The Commissioner of Customs, the Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Secretaries of State and Defense, in conjunction with the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, should develop a plan to conduct their operations without U.S. military units at Soto Cano. |
Since DOD decided to continue supporting interagency operations, with fewer personnel, from Soto Cano Base, the need to develop plans to support antidrug activities without U.S. military support is no longer required.
|
| Drug Enforcement Administration | The Commissioner of Customs, the Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Secretaries of State and Defense, in conjunction with the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, should develop a plan to conduct their operations without U.S. military units at Soto Cano. |
The need for DEA action was predicated on DOD's acceptance of the recommendation to withdraw from Soto Cano. Since DOD decided to continue with fewer personnel, from Soto Cano Base, the need to develop plans to support antidrug activities without U.S. military support is no longer required.
|
| United States Customs Service | The Commissioner of Customs, the Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Secretaries of State and Defense, in conjunction with the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, should develop a plan to conduct their operations without U.S. military units at Soto Cano. |
The need for Customs action was predicated on DOD's acceptance of the recommendation to withdraw from Soto Cano. Since DOD decided to continue with fewer personnel, from Soto Cano Base, the need to develop plans to support antidrug activities without U.S. military support is no longer required.
|
| Department of State | The Commissioner of Customs, the Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Secretaries of State and Defense, in conjunction with the Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, should develop a plan to conduct their operations without U.S. military units at Soto Cano. |
The need for State action was predicated on DOD's acceptance of the recommendation to withdraw from Soto Cano. Since DOD decided to continue with fewer personnel from Soto Cano Base, the need to develop plans to support antidrug activities without U.S. military support is no longer required.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should withdraw the remaining U.S. military personnel at Soto Cano once the interagency plan is developed and implemented. |
This recommendation is no longer applicable since DOD decided to maintain a U.S. military presence at Soto Cano Base.
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