264 Military Buildings to Become Parks or Hospitals in Ecuador

[Judi Lynn]

264 Military Buildings to Become Parks or Hospitals in Ecuador
Friday, Sep 5, 2014

Ecuador will reduce its military by 51 percent over the next ten years.
Ecuadorean defense minister, Maria Fernanda Espinosa announced on Wednesday that the army's 516 units will be reduced to 252, reported El Telegrafo.

The measure aims to optimize Ecuador´s military presence nationally. “We know now what we have, how to maintain it, and what we need,” she explained to the press.

She clarified that this will affect the three branches of the army and at least 600 hectares of urban spaces will be made available by 2025. This space is in addition to the 30,000 hectares of rural spaces already delivered by the army to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment for protection.

Inmobiliar, the government institution in charge of managing public land, will assess and determine the future use of the lands. They could be converted into parks, or used for new schools, hospitals, centres for children, or community police units, but will not be for private use or real estate.

More:
http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_67494.shtml

[packman]

1. Beating swords into plowshares

Interesting enuff, this term first appears in the Bible as "Plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears" but then appears as the opposite.

"The contrasting uses of this term in the Bible could be used to illustrate the need to defend oneself when appropriate, but to dismantle the tools of war after a mission has been accomplished. “Swords into plowshares” is often taken to mean a return to peaceful ways, and a very final way of turning one's back on war, by literally destroying the weapons with which war could be waged."

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-origins-of-beat-swords-into-plowshares.htm

Good for them - may all nations learn.