Central America's quiet fight. Is terrorism war on America's doorstep?

DCMilitary.com - Pentagram May 30, 2003 (Editor's note: This is the second of a three part series on unsung American efforts on the war on terrorism in the western hemisphere.)

The political climate in Honduras is not as volatile as parts of South America, but conditions could lead to political upheavals such as those facing Venezuela, where oil strikes and protests have crippled the economy and the government's ability to rule. Poverty and the increasing lawliness in Honduras could create a breeding ground for terrorists.

"The economy is bad and getting worse. This creates a lot of crime. I know many people are scared and feel that something needs to be done," said Carmen Suyapa Euceda, a mother of three who lives near Soto Cano. "Things are at a point where people are not sure what can be done."

Honduran president Ricardo Maduro in April called on the U.S. to be more active in Central America, or risk the region slipping to the left after years of moving toward free-market democracies. He said the region is at "a very critical point," according to The Washington Times.

This is nowhere clearer than in Comayagua Valley, a wide cut through the mountains and home to Soto Cano. In hills east of the valley April 3, Army Chinook helicopters dumped water on forest fires which threatened to raze a mountain village. To the west ? within sight of the smoking palm trees ? thousands of demonstrators congregated in the town of Comayagua against a U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Master Sgt. Charles Warren said the U.S. military's presence is generally welcome despite such protests ? or a message spray-painted beneath a Coca-Cola sign bragging "Osama Bin Laden lives." Joint Security Forces rate the threat of terrorism against Americans low, yet they've beefed up security on Soto Cano.

"Terrorist groups have shown an ability to reach out and hit those places where the threat is considered low, or where they have not hit in the past. In that sense, you could say Central America is in the line of fire," said Warren. He believes a peacetime mission in a friendly nation advertises a "soft" target. The installation is hardening by setting up more physical barriers, installing video surveillance, increasing perimeter patrols, and improving cooperation with Honduran authorities.

Criminal danger

Authorities rate the threat of crime in Honduras high, which presents other reasons to be cautious of political violence and an emergence of home-grown terrorism.

Teen-age gangs wield machetes and home-made firearms called "chimbas" to control territories and extort or steal money. The gangs are a symptom of destitution and an element of rebelliousness similar to conditions in some Middle Eastern communities where terrorist organizations have successfully recruited.

"It is very dangerous. In every city, there are gangs. You hear about 18 or 20 people die every day because of the violence. There seems to be no control over them," said Nuri Yolany Alvarado.

Honduras is a constitutional democracy, but is staggering under the weight of widespread crime. "The judiciary is poorly staffed and equipped, often ineffective and subject to corruption and political influence," said a March 31 State Department report.

Half of Honduras' 6.5 million residents are under age 18.

Many children are turning to crime, and the prisons are filled beyond capacity.

Many businesses employ private security teams who stand guard with sawed-off shotguns, pistols and machetes, closely eyeing teenagers hollering from the beds of passing pick-up trucks.

A scenario in which Hondurans become anti-American terrorists is highly unlikely right now, yet worth U.S. concerns, especially if Americans disappear from humanitarian missions in Latin America and economic conditions worsen, Warren said.

Fuel prices in Honduras, one of the poorest nations in a crippled region, stand at over $3 a gallon, one of the highest prices in the hemisphere. With the daunting cost of owning a private vehicle, public transportation is overburdened, and relies heavily on retired school buses from the U. S.

Honduras' poverty takes a toll on public health.

Nancy Etheridge, wife of Southern Command's Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Etheridge, helped in March at several medical clinics organized through Soto Cano.

"It's overwhelming. I never dreamed there was this many people in need of basic medical care," she said. "It's good for them to see the military helping in this way, because right now they are seeing so much of the fighting in Iraq. They need to know we do more than fight."

There is also a fear that Honduras' proximity to the U.S. could kick up sibling rivalry among poor nations. Hondurans may feel their friendly ties with the U.S. are not bettering their position at a time when news reports show American soldiers handing out food and medicines to vanquished Iraqis and Afghanis.

"Wherever the Americans are, the area does better economically. The people here feel Honduras is close to America, but don't understand why that doesn't improve things for the whole country," said Alvarado.

The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have crowded front pages and video clips in Honduras' news outlets, whose reports also closely follow the humanitarian efforts in the wake of war. Many Hondurans don't grasp why so much money is spent helping the U.S.'s adversaries.

"It is a weird war. Iraq is very bad, but when they lose, the United States will help them rebuild," said Euceda.

It can be a strained logic for U.S. personnel as well as Honduran officials.

"These are our neighbors, this is our backyard. If we are going to help anywhere in the world, these are the people we should be helping," said Warren.

"We have to provide the people with some real gains quickly. However, the attention we are getting from the international community is not up to the full task," the Honduran president told Washington Times editors.

The challenges facing U.S. forces at Soto Cano steadily increase. Just over 500 military personnel on the base attempt to improve the lot of over 37 million people across Central America. To many in the region, the task force represents the U.S.'s commitment to staving off economic disaster in Central America.

This commitment can be viewed as either weak or strong.

(Wagner is a Pentagram staff writer supporting Task Force-Bravo. Next week -- Maintaining the ties.)