MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina steps down from major air exercise in Brazil fearing repeat of flagship Libertad incident
The Argentine Air Force grounded on fears of inconvenient surprises overseas Argentina admitted that it stepped down at last minute from participating in South America's largest military air exercise in Brazil, Cruzex 2013 to avoid any possible injunction situations as that experienced by the Navy's three mast frigate that ended retained in a port of Ghana.
Defense minister Agustin Rossi revealed he was surprised at the repercussion of the Argentine decision in the media, which he said was the result of a delay in sending the official request to Congress for a group of Argentine military personnel and equipment to leave the country for exercises.
The Cruzex2013 involves at least 90 aircraft plus several thousand personnel with participation of most of South American countries, plus the United States and Canada.
However Rossi later admitted that “this year because of what happened with the frigate Libertad we have been more jealous when it comes to chosing exercises, we check over and over to avoid inconveniences. Because of this procedure we had the bill at the Executive longer than what it should have and was late for Congress”.
“Argentina to send troops or equipments overseas needs of a bill and the approval by Congress. We drafted the bill the whole year so that we can request authorization for a whole annual package, September to September and Cruzex was included” added the minister.
“We didn't go to the region's major air exercise not because of lack of funds but because we did not have the bill” underlined Rossi who added Argentina participated in 2004 and 2006 but “in 2008 and 2010 we had no bill authorizing”.
Cruzex2013 is scheduled to last 16 days in the northeast of Brazil and Argentina was to participate with a Hercules KC130 and A4-AR fighter jets plus a contingent of 115 people.
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Read all commentsHahhahahaahhahahahahaahahahhaahhahaahahahahahahahahhaahahahahahahhhahah etc :)
Nov 07th, 2013 - 10:06 am 0“Argentina to send troops or equipments overseas needs of a bill and the approval by Congress. We drafted the bill the whole year so that we can request authorization for a whole annual package, September to September and Cruzex was included” added the minister.
Nov 07th, 2013 - 10:08 am 0For training? You need congressional approval for training? Give me a break! No wonder the RG military is such a feared power. Explains why the ships sick in dock and jets can't fly..........the military is managed with the same expertise as the economy.
I thought Brazil was their BBF.....why would they fear equipment being seized in SA? hahahahahahahahahahaha
Come on, argies, where's your sense of humour? So someone tried to take the only boat you have that can float. No need to be scared. Wait a minute, you were going to send a KC-130? You only have one! Could have crippled your entire “air force”. Hang on a minute, isn't most of your “air force” “grounded”? Might it be that those “Fightinhawks” would have been grounded the moment they arrived in Brazil?
Nov 07th, 2013 - 10:16 am 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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