http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/03/colombia-ingrid-betancourt-free-after-seven-years-as-a-farc-hostage/ A Great Decisions 2008 Blog Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:00:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/03/colombia-ingrid-betancourt-free-after-seven-years-as-a-farc-hostage/#comment-2577 Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:08:48 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/03/colombia-ingrid-betancourt-free-after-seven-years-as-a-farc-hostage/#comment-2577 [...] With a world depending on the US economy to operate, those nations in Latin America and Europe need a strong United States that will work and support their nations as those nations wish to work and support the US itself. While there is much criticism coming out of socialist governments in Latin America, the majority of nations who have spent the last few years in cooperation with the US and achieving great stability and peace within their own borders should be supported by the US and credit given to their development. Bad policy has created a situation where Chavez can attack Bush, as failure in leadership creates a large scapegoat, but good leadership with focus the attention on those local leaders like Chavez and allow for those democracies to eject problems in their societies. While not to the same degree, America’s European partners have actually moved to re-engage with the US in a discussion to not only repair the current economic troubles, but also to re-invigorate the relationship of values and equality that should have always existed between Europe and the US. Elected leaders in the EU, Canada and Mexico have moved towards policies which have been considered traditionally American, and America will move towards a position where it adopts some trends from its partners, as well as hopefully cultivating respect with Europe and Latin America in the process. The future of the US will come with the future of Europe and the Americas. Leadership will only allow for a successful relationship in the future. [...] […] With a world depending on the US economy to operate, those nations in Latin America and Europe need a strong United States that will work and support their nations as those nations wish to work and support the US itself. While there is much criticism coming out of socialist governments in Latin America, the majority of nations who have spent the last few years in cooperation with the US and achieving great stability and peace within their own borders should be supported by the US and credit given to their development. Bad policy has created a situation where Chavez can attack Bush, as failure in leadership creates a large scapegoat, but good leadership with focus the attention on those local leaders like Chavez and allow for those democracies to eject problems in their societies. While not to the same degree, America’s European partners have actually moved to re-engage with the US in a discussion to not only repair the current economic troubles, but also to re-invigorate the relationship of values and equality that should have always existed between Europe and the US. Elected leaders in the EU, Canada and Mexico have moved towards policies which have been considered traditionally American, and America will move towards a position where it adopts some trends from its partners, as well as hopefully cultivating respect with Europe and Latin America in the process. The future of the US will come with the future of Europe and the Americas. Leadership will only allow for a successful relationship in the future. […]

]]> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/03/colombia-ingrid-betancourt-free-after-seven-years-as-a-farc-hostage/#comment-2572 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:57:10 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/03/colombia-ingrid-betancourt-free-after-seven-years-as-a-farc-hostage/#comment-2572 [...] With a world depending on the US economy to operate, those nations in Latin America and Europe need a strong United States that will work and support their nations as those nations wish to work and support the US itself. While there is much criticism coming out of socialist governments in Latin America, the majority of nations who have spent the last few years in cooperation with the US and achieving great stability and peace within their own borders should be supported by the US and credit given to their development. Bad policy has created a situation where Chavez can attack Bush, as failure in leadership creates a large scapegoat, but good leadership with focus the attention on those local leaders like Chavez and allow for those democracies to eject problems in their societies. While not to the same degree, America’s European partners have actually moved to re-engage with the US in a discussion to not only repair the current economic troubles, but also to re-invigorate the relationship of values and equality that should have always existed between Europe and the US. Elected leaders in the EU, Canada and Mexico have moved towards policies which have been considered traditionally American, and America will move towards a position where it adopts some trends from its partners, as well as hopefully cultivating respect with Europe and Latin America in the process. The future of the US will come with the future of Europe and the Americas. Leadership will only allow for a successful relationship in the future. [...] […] With a world depending on the US economy to operate, those nations in Latin America and Europe need a strong United States that will work and support their nations as those nations wish to work and support the US itself. While there is much criticism coming out of socialist governments in Latin America, the majority of nations who have spent the last few years in cooperation with the US and achieving great stability and peace within their own borders should be supported by the US and credit given to their development. Bad policy has created a situation where Chavez can attack Bush, as failure in leadership creates a large scapegoat, but good leadership with focus the attention on those local leaders like Chavez and allow for those democracies to eject problems in their societies. While not to the same degree, America’s European partners have actually moved to re-engage with the US in a discussion to not only repair the current economic troubles, but also to re-invigorate the relationship of values and equality that should have always existed between Europe and the US. Elected leaders in the EU, Canada and Mexico have moved towards policies which have been considered traditionally American, and America will move towards a position where it adopts some trends from its partners, as well as hopefully cultivating respect with Europe and Latin America in the process. The future of the US will come with the future of Europe and the Americas. Leadership will only allow for a successful relationship in the future. […]

]]> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/03/colombia-ingrid-betancourt-free-after-seven-years-as-a-farc-hostage/#comment-1009 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:40:56 +0000 http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/07/03/colombia-ingrid-betancourt-free-after-seven-years-as-a-farc-hostage/#comment-1009 [...] In Alejandro’s post on July 16th, he discusses a report by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office which claims that more than 80 of 2,500 of Mexico’s municipalities are currently being controlled by Drug Cartels. In the report, many of the Cartels are seen as operating as a type of de facto government in many of those municipalities, providing some services, but mostly concerned with running the drug trade and prostitution in many of these communities. While 80 municipalities are still a small number, the rise of the Drug Cartels in recent months and the killing of many Government officials and gun battles in many of Mexico’s municipalities does not help Calderon and Mexico’s government, police and army claim any real victories in its recent internal conflict. With successes in Colombia by Uribe’s government and the world media focusing on the terror from FARC guerillas, years of internal conflict inside Colombia may mirror the future of Mexico in its fight against well established drug cartels. The FARC, who for many exist solely for the expansion of the narcotics trade, still govern many parts of Colombia itself, including many smaller municipalities. With forty years of the FARC and at least thirty years of the narcotics trade in Colombia, Mexico might do well by working with Colombia to win back its towns and avoid a second FARC style government in Mexico. [...] […] In Alejandro’s post on July 16th, he discusses a report by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office which claims that more than 80 of 2,500 of Mexico’s municipalities are currently being controlled by Drug Cartels. In the report, many of the Cartels are seen as operating as a type of de facto government in many of those municipalities, providing some services, but mostly concerned with running the drug trade and prostitution in many of these communities. While 80 municipalities are still a small number, the rise of the Drug Cartels in recent months and the killing of many Government officials and gun battles in many of Mexico’s municipalities does not help Calderon and Mexico’s government, police and army claim any real victories in its recent internal conflict. With successes in Colombia by Uribe’s government and the world media focusing on the terror from FARC guerillas, years of internal conflict inside Colombia may mirror the future of Mexico in its fight against well established drug cartels. The FARC, who for many exist solely for the expansion of the narcotics trade, still govern many parts of Colombia itself, including many smaller municipalities. With forty years of the FARC and at least thirty years of the narcotics trade in Colombia, Mexico might do well by working with Colombia to win back its towns and avoid a second FARC style government in Mexico. […]

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