Doug Bereuter: “H.R. 3540 allows continued International Military and Education Training [IMET] for Thailand and Cambodia. The Obey…”

“H.R. 3540 allows continued International Military and Education Training [IMET] for Thailand and Cambodia. The Obey amendment would prohibit IMET for these countries. Passage of the Obey amendment will not save the taxpayers one dime, but would merely force the administration to move the IMET funds to some other countries. This Member considers such a prohibition unwarranted and unwise. Here is why. Thailand is a long-time treaty ally with a democratic form of government, located along key strategic international waterways. American forces conduct more than 40 joint exercises with Thailand each year--more than any other country in Asia. These exercises are important to the readiness and training of American, as well as Thai, forces in Asia. Moreover, Thailand provides the Seventh Fleet with easy access to its military facilities when needed, most recently during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Particularly in light of the closure of our basis in the Philippines, use of Thai facilities allows us to maintain our forward deployed presence in the crucial Southeast Asia/ Indochina region. The close military-to-military ties we enjoy with Thailand are fostered by the fact that so many military leaders in Thailand have been trained in the United States through the IMET program. Not only does this American training provide us access to key Thai leaders, but it also engenders a natural preference for U.S. military hardware and supplies.”