    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 32 (Monday, August 18, 2008)]
    [Page 1132]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Memorandum on Continuation of United States Drug Interdiction Assistance
    to the Government of Colombia

    August 15, 2008

     Presidential Determination No. 2008-24

    Memorandum for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense

    Subject: Continuation of U.S. Drug Interdiction Assistance to the
    Government of Colombia

        Pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 1012 of the
    National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995, as amended (22
    U.S.C. 2291-4), I hereby certify, with respect to Colombia, that (1)
    interdiction of aircraft reasonably suspected to be primarily engaged in
    illicit drug trafficking in that country's airspace is necessary because
    of the extraordinary threat posed by illicit drug trafficking to the
    national security of that country; and (2) that country has appropriate
    procedures in place to protect against innocent loss of life in the air
    and on the ground in connection with such interdiction, which shall at a
    minimum include effective means to identify and warn an aircraft before
    the use of force is directed against the aircraft.
        The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this
    determination in the Federal Register and to notify the Congress of this
    determination.
                                                    George W. Bush

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this memorandum.