http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/ A Great Decisions 2008 Blog Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:55:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/#comment-985 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:19:08 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/#comment-985 [...] Last night many Colombians at home and abroad stayed up into the late hours of the night to hear the first free words from the rescued FARC captive and former Presidential Candidate Ingrid Betancourt. Ingrid was captured by the FARC seven years ago during her presidential campaign and has been used as a symbol of fear against the Colombian government and people ever since. Numerous attempts to negotiate via France, the US, Venezuela and Hugo Chavez and through Colombian leaders themselves had lead to numerous failures, until last night when a Colombian rescue operation used internal operatives and complex logistical planning and intelligence that resulted in a rescue that would outshine any of the four Rambo movies. Along with Ingrid, three American hostages were also freed and 14 other Colombian prisoners. The intelligence and raid that lead up to the rescue culminated over the last few months, beginning with Hugo Chavez obtaining the release of a handful of FARC hostages, rapidly leading to a heavy exchange of words between Chavez and Uribe. Increased tensions arose when Colombia took the fight against the FARC to a camp in Ecuador, killing one of their top leaders and a number of other leaders being captured or killed in the following weeks. Another significant event was the death of Marulanda, the top FARC commander dying of a heart attack. With the confusion in the FARC ranks and dozens of desertions, the command and control structure not only gave Colombian Special Forces the opportunity to win back the hostages, but also is slowly degrading the FARC from a force a few years ago of 18,000 members who were perched outside of Bogotá, to an estimated force of 9,000 troops hiding in the jungles. [...] […] Last night many Colombians at home and abroad stayed up into the late hours of the night to hear the first free words from the rescued FARC captive and former Presidential Candidate Ingrid Betancourt. Ingrid was captured by the FARC seven years ago during her presidential campaign and has been used as a symbol of fear against the Colombian government and people ever since. Numerous attempts to negotiate via France, the US, Venezuela and Hugo Chavez and through Colombian leaders themselves had lead to numerous failures, until last night when a Colombian rescue operation used internal operatives and complex logistical planning and intelligence that resulted in a rescue that would outshine any of the four Rambo movies. Along with Ingrid, three American hostages were also freed and 14 other Colombian prisoners. The intelligence and raid that lead up to the rescue culminated over the last few months, beginning with Hugo Chavez obtaining the release of a handful of FARC hostages, rapidly leading to a heavy exchange of words between Chavez and Uribe. Increased tensions arose when Colombia took the fight against the FARC to a camp in Ecuador, killing one of their top leaders and a number of other leaders being captured or killed in the following weeks. Another significant event was the death of Marulanda, the top FARC commander dying of a heart attack. With the confusion in the FARC ranks and dozens of desertions, the command and control structure not only gave Colombian Special Forces the opportunity to win back the hostages, but also is slowly degrading the FARC from a force a few years ago of 18,000 members who were perched outside of Bogotá, to an estimated force of 9,000 troops hiding in the jungles. […]

]]> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/#comment-908 Tue, 27 May 2008 20:21:31 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/#comment-908 [...] Despite Uribe’s success and over 70% support in Colombia, since 9/11 the US has alienated alot of the countries that traditionally supported it on the world stage. When a country like Colombia that has had more terrorism and economic hardships than any other US ally succeeds in the War on Terror and is rewarded with criticism when forming a trade agreement, it further moves the US away from a region that requires substantial and equitable support. It could be based on the lack of understanding in the US on Colombia, or perhaps a separation between trade, anti-drug enforcement and security policy, but it poorly reflects on the US with many of their neighbours worldwide. Trade is usually the issue where this takes place as seen with Clinton’s attacks on NAFTA and its North American neighbours, but in this case the prime achievement of the War on Terror or whatever people wish to call it is Colombia’s success against the FARC. With some of the highest rates of drug trafficking, internal refugees and poverty in the world, any progress by Uribe or leaders of Colombia must be included when creating a foreign policy towards Latin America. [...] […] Despite Uribe’s success and over 70% support in Colombia, since 9/11 the US has alienated alot of the countries that traditionally supported it on the world stage. When a country like Colombia that has had more terrorism and economic hardships than any other US ally succeeds in the War on Terror and is rewarded with criticism when forming a trade agreement, it further moves the US away from a region that requires substantial and equitable support. It could be based on the lack of understanding in the US on Colombia, or perhaps a separation between trade, anti-drug enforcement and security policy, but it poorly reflects on the US with many of their neighbours worldwide. Trade is usually the issue where this takes place as seen with Clinton’s attacks on NAFTA and its North American neighbours, but in this case the prime achievement of the War on Terror or whatever people wish to call it is Colombia’s success against the FARC. With some of the highest rates of drug trafficking, internal refugees and poverty in the world, any progress by Uribe or leaders of Colombia must be included when creating a foreign policy towards Latin America. […]

]]> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/#comment-904 Fri, 23 May 2008 18:25:29 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/#comment-904 Major problem for the US, well, during the last 8 years of the War on Terror, Uribe's Colombia has had alot of progress and support where the Us has not in Iraq and partially in Afghanistan. I think it runs back into the fact that since 9/11, the Us has alienated alot of the countries that traditionally supported it on the world stage. When a country like Colombia, who has had more terrorism and economic hardships than any other US ally succeeds in the War on Terror and is rewarded with criticism based on the lack of understanding in the US on Colombia, it poorly reflects on the US wtih all of their neighbours worldwide. Trade is usually the issue where this takes place, but in this case the prime achievement of the War on Terror or whatever people wish to call it is Colombia's success againt the FARC. Major problem for the US, well, during the last 8 years of the War on Terror, Uribe’s Colombia has had alot of progress and support where the Us has not in Iraq and partially in Afghanistan. I think it runs back into the fact that since 9/11, the Us has alienated alot of the countries that traditionally supported it on the world stage. When a country like Colombia, who has had more terrorism and economic hardships than any other US ally succeeds in the War on Terror and is rewarded with criticism based on the lack of understanding in the US on Colombia, it poorly reflects on the US wtih all of their neighbours worldwide. Trade is usually the issue where this takes place, but in this case the prime achievement of the War on Terror or whatever people wish to call it is Colombia’s success againt the FARC.

]]> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/#comment-899 Sun, 18 May 2008 22:30:42 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/18/politics-and-policy-towards-colombia-who-is-financing-the-farc/#comment-899 I'm looking at this article for a current events essay. What would you say is a major problem for the US on this issue? I’m looking at this article for a current events essay. What would you say is a major problem for the US on this issue?

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