4.26.2005
Condi's 3 Hours in Colombia
Don't expect to read about this on the cover of the NY Times or to listen to any of the talking heads on Fox/MSNBC/CNN bicker about this tommorow night. However, Colombia is the third-largest recipient of US aid after Israel and Egypt, and Plan Colombia has failed to produce any significant progress in the armed conflict or in the "War on Drugs." Despite this, there has been another mammoth funding request by the Bush administration for 2006: $750 million.
Here's a CIP press release summing up the current situation, which hasn't seemed to cause most US taxpayers to lose much sleep.
http://ciponline.org/colombia/050422rice.htm
I'm not holding my breath for any of our major media outlets to hold Condi & Co. accountable for this ineffective approach to a sad situation.
Here's a CIP press release summing up the current situation, which hasn't seemed to cause most US taxpayers to lose much sleep.
http://ciponline.org/colombia/050422rice.htm
I'm not holding my breath for any of our major media outlets to hold Condi & Co. accountable for this ineffective approach to a sad situation.
# posted by Juanson : 6:16 PM
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The so called Blueprint for a new Colombia Policy reads like a recepe for disaster, a nightmare we already had in Colombia under the Leadership of Mr. Andres Pastrana. Under his nefastuous rule peace negotiations ended with a piece of land the size of Switzerland presented as a present to uncooperative FARC guerillas who, as a thank you gesture, continued killing and kidnapping thousands of innocent Colombians for ransom.
There must be a middle ground in the third largest Country in Latin America (45 million) where human rights are respected. And where the democratically elected President (who, by the way, has an unprecedented 70+% approval rating)is allowed and given the resources to fight a war against an army of a mere 30,000 guerillas financed with drug moneys.
There must be a middle ground in the third largest Country in Latin America (45 million) where human rights are respected. And where the democratically elected President (who, by the way, has an unprecedented 70+% approval rating)is allowed and given the resources to fight a war against an army of a mere 30,000 guerillas financed with drug moneys.
# posted by 
: 10:25 PM
: 10:25 PM
Dad,
I don't agree with all of the terms of the Blueprint either. However it is accurate to say that the fumigation policies have been ineffective in reducing the price of cocaine on the market and they have devastated local peasant communities. Spraying these chemicals simply moves the production of coca rather than eliminating it. Whether to another part of Colombia or to the neighboring countries of Peru and Bolivia.
But I do think that brokering peace negotiations with the guerillas is misguided. I think the US media should be more responsible in regards to this. (As a point of comparison, remember that the initial US pledge for tsunami relief was $30 million compared to the $750 million for this aid request)
I don't agree with all of the terms of the Blueprint either. However it is accurate to say that the fumigation policies have been ineffective in reducing the price of cocaine on the market and they have devastated local peasant communities. Spraying these chemicals simply moves the production of coca rather than eliminating it. Whether to another part of Colombia or to the neighboring countries of Peru and Bolivia.
But I do think that brokering peace negotiations with the guerillas is misguided. I think the US media should be more responsible in regards to this. (As a point of comparison, remember that the initial US pledge for tsunami relief was $30 million compared to the $750 million for this aid request)
Chris Jr.,
(Me gusta tu Blog y el sistema de intercambiar ideas..:)
The fumigation policies are crazy... The acceptance by the Colombian government of this environmental and human disaster has been the heavy price paid to start achieving some sort of military superiority over gangsters with a moral excuse.
You are absolutely right that spraying only worsens the problem of narcotics production, sreading it to other parts of the continent and the world. A real solution would have to entail discussions of difficult topics such as legalization and reduction in consumption. Colombia has had to frame the guerilla problem within the drug war theme given bipartisan support and interest this theme generates in US Congress as opposed to viewing this as a Colombian public safety issue.
Regarding the relative size of aid, consider the cost in lives that US drug consumption has caused Colombia, and consider the indirect subsidy these drug users are providing the guerillas (some estimate in the US$ 3 to 5 billion range per year...). Also, no money is provided directly. If you analize Plan Colombia you will notice that much of the assistance is provided in the form of military hardware (now in disuse buy the US) such as Viet Nam era apache helicopters, arms and in US military advisors salaries.
(Me gusta tu Blog y el sistema de intercambiar ideas..:)
The fumigation policies are crazy... The acceptance by the Colombian government of this environmental and human disaster has been the heavy price paid to start achieving some sort of military superiority over gangsters with a moral excuse.
You are absolutely right that spraying only worsens the problem of narcotics production, sreading it to other parts of the continent and the world. A real solution would have to entail discussions of difficult topics such as legalization and reduction in consumption. Colombia has had to frame the guerilla problem within the drug war theme given bipartisan support and interest this theme generates in US Congress as opposed to viewing this as a Colombian public safety issue.
Regarding the relative size of aid, consider the cost in lives that US drug consumption has caused Colombia, and consider the indirect subsidy these drug users are providing the guerillas (some estimate in the US$ 3 to 5 billion range per year...). Also, no money is provided directly. If you analize Plan Colombia you will notice that much of the assistance is provided in the form of military hardware (now in disuse buy the US) such as Viet Nam era apache helicopters, arms and in US military advisors salaries.
# posted by : 4:47 PM
: 4:47 PM
Well apparently the NYTimes did find this newsworthy. I stand corrected. Please do note the US officials being "shocked" at the lack of results, yet their reluctance to actually do anything to change the policy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/28/international/americas/28colombia.html?oref=login&pagewanted=print&position=
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