Comments on: Kaplan on Colombia http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/ Speak Victorian, Think Pagan Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:41:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Colombia » Colombia extradites paramilitary warlord to US http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383647 Colombia » Colombia extradites paramilitary warlord to US Thu, 08 May 2008 05:39:36 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383647 [...] Kaplan on ColombiaAll the debate about Colombian free trade has obscured something important: Colombia is far safer now than it was five years ago. In fact, if Iraq were reclaiming terrorist-controlled areas as effectively as Colombia is, even the most … [...] [...] Kaplan on ColombiaAll the debate about Colombian free trade has obscured something important: Colombia is far safer now than it was five years ago. In fact, if Iraq were reclaiming terrorist-controlled areas as effectively as Colombia is, even the most … [...]

]]> By: Curzon http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383642 Curzon Thu, 08 May 2008 03:11:47 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383642 Thanks Jesus -- the article basically just follows on what I wrote above. Ultimately, all it shows is how hard it is to convict a criminal in the United States under the "FRE":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Rules_of_Evidence and current Constitutional rights, despite overwhelming evidence of criminal conduct. Prosecutors ultimatley wanted a symbolic victory, and when that appeared distant, tried to drop charges in exchange for a hostage release. Lirelou -- I fear that, once again, your issue with Kaplan is only one of terminology. Afghans, Bosnians, Iraqis, and Colombians are all involved in the rebuilding of their own nations, both individuals, institution, communities, and the government. However, while Afghanistan and Iraq are in the news almost daily, Colombia is hardly heard of, despite its importance. Hence its designation by RDK as our #3 nation building project -- it probably isn't thought of in those terms very often. Thanks Jesus—the article basically just follows on what I wrote above. Ultimately, all it shows is how hard it is to convict a criminal in the United States under the FRE and current Constitutional rights, despite overwhelming evidence of criminal conduct. Prosecutors ultimatley wanted a symbolic victory, and when that appeared distant, tried to drop charges in exchange for a hostage release.

Lirelou—I fear that, once again, your issue with Kaplan is only one of terminology. Afghans, Bosnians, Iraqis, and Colombians are all involved in the rebuilding of their own nations, both individuals, institution, communities, and the government. However, while Afghanistan and Iraq are in the news almost daily, Colombia is hardly heard of, despite its importance. Hence its designation by RDK as our #3 nation building project—it probably isn’t thought of in those terms very often.

]]> By: lirelou http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383641 lirelou Thu, 08 May 2008 02:41:42 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383641 I dissent with Kaplan that "Colombia is our third biggest nation building project". Nation building in Colombia is a Colombian responsibility, and our efforts are a mere piddle compared to what Colombians themselves are doing. Yes, US special forces have trained elite Colombian units, but it is Colombian Armed Forces themselves which have reorganized to take the war to the FARC and ELN. Uribe deserves the credit, as he would have received the blame, but no small amount of Colombia's present success is due to a Colombian officer named Carlos Opsina Ovalle, and a small group of similarly aggressive "lancero" officers who rose up through the ranks in the guerrilla war. I dissent with Kaplan that “Colombia is our third biggest nation building project”. Nation building in Colombia is a Colombian responsibility, and our efforts are a mere piddle compared to what Colombians themselves are doing. Yes, US special forces have trained elite Colombian units, but it is Colombian Armed Forces themselves which have reorganized to take the war to the FARC and ELN. Uribe deserves the credit, as he would have received the blame, but no small amount of Colombia’s present success is due to a Colombian officer named Carlos Opsina Ovalle, and a small group of similarly aggressive “lancero” officers who rose up through the ranks in the guerrilla war.

]]> By: Jesus Reyes http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383629 Jesus Reyes Wed, 07 May 2008 18:10:16 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383629 Curzon, no doubt you are right. Here is the AP article with information to the contrary. http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=157661 Curzon, no doubt you are right. Here is the AP article with information to the contrary.

http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=157661

]]> By: Dan tdaxp http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383621 Dan tdaxp Wed, 07 May 2008 12:13:21 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383621 Curzon, thanks for this great post, and refuting Reyes' misinformation. Curzon, thanks for this great post, and refuting Reyes’ misinformation.

]]> By: Curzon http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383617 Curzon Wed, 07 May 2008 09:38:15 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383617 Jesus, your first comment is blantantly inaccurate. Palmera is serving a 60 sentence in a US prison for kidnapping. The ongoing charges of his guilt of cocaine trafficing are basically irrelevant as to how long he rots in jail, although there were attempts to exchange the outcome of that trial in exchange for freeing hostages. The only people asking for his release are hardcore lefists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Palmera Jesus, your first comment is blantantly inaccurate. Palmera is serving a 60 sentence in a US prison for kidnapping. The ongoing charges of his guilt of cocaine trafficing are basically irrelevant as to how long he rots in jail, although there were attempts to exchange the outcome of that trial in exchange for freeing hostages. The only people asking for his release are hardcore lefists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Palmera

]]> By: Jesus Reyes http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383616 Jesus Reyes Wed, 07 May 2008 09:17:40 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383616 You can check out the Special Report by the Committee to Protect Journalists to discover that Colombia is now the 4th worst country in the world when it comes to killing journalists and then pretending that it never happened. Just one of many "methods" used by Uribe that make glowing reports such as this one possible. You can check out the Special Report by the Committee to Protect Journalists to discover that Colombia is now the 4th worst country in the world when it comes to killing journalists and then pretending that it never happened. Just one of many “methods” used by Uribe that make glowing reports such as this one possible.

]]> By: Jesus Reyes http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383615 Jesus Reyes Wed, 07 May 2008 09:04:15 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2008/05/07/kaplan-on-colombia/#comment-383615 This just happened yesterday. "Three years after officials hailed his arrest as a major drug war victory, the U.S. asked a judge Tuesday to dismiss cocaine charges against Colombian rebel leader Ricardo Palmera." The "narco-terrorist" dealing the cocaine are the same right wing death squads that it has always been, only now they are in the government and the USA chooses to finance it with Plan Colombia. A house of cards built with US dollars. Good luck with that. Simply amazing. This just happened yesterday.

“Three years after officials hailed his arrest as a major drug war victory, the U.S. asked a judge Tuesday to dismiss cocaine charges against Colombian rebel leader Ricardo Palmera.”

The “narco-terrorist” dealing the cocaine are the same right wing death squads that it has always been, only now they are in the government and the USA chooses to finance it with Plan Colombia. A house of cards built with US dollars. Good luck with that.

Simply amazing.

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