| The recent defeat of Tamil Tigers by Sri Lankan | | | | economic condition, loss of domestic desire for more |
| leadership reminded the world of a simple truth. It being | | | | imperial adventures, and change in political leadership |
| that even decades long civil wars can come to an end | | | | means time is running out for a military solution. |
| through the sustained use of violence instead of | | | | Venezuela's position is getting stronger and it doesn't |
| political settlement or outside mediators. This is good | | | | have rebels to fight like Colombia. |
| news and inspiration for Colombia's Harvard educated | | | | Colombia literally cuts off Venezuela geographically |
| lawyer president Alvaro Uribe. After all, Sri Lanka's | | | | from its ally Ecuador, prevents meaningful cooperation |
| government was able to build up its military and political | | | | between the two in construction of infrastructure like |
| will for a fast paced, decisive, and successful end | | | | railroads, and allows United States a springboard (that |
| game (something that eluded Colombia's military for | | | | extends from another puppet Panama) to exert |
| half a century now). | | | | influence on the continent. It is finally in America's |
| It's much easier for the international community to work | | | | interest to end the decades old civil war there before |
| with the government responsible for mass war crimes | | | | Brazil and Venezuela end it themselves on their terms |
| if that government is victorious and not engaged in a | | | | while gaining prestige in the meantime. Having a loyal |
| neverending quagmire. Uribe's military build up in recent | | | | puppet inside the South American economic unification |
| years through Plan Colombia (with devoted, | | | | schemes would provide an important Trojan horse for |
| accelerated, financial, and technical support from Bush | | | | Washington (the way England/Poland are used now |
| and Obama administrations) indicates that he is looking | | | | as Trojan horses to slow down and disrupt EU |
| to imitate Sri Lanka's example of national unification | | | | consolidation as a center of force on the planet). |
| before Venezuela and her allies make it impossible. | | | | Time is also running out for Chavez. Even though US |
| Venezuela, with Russia's assistance and financial | | | | economic power is fading in the region (not to be |
| support, is about to open Western Hemisphere's first | | | | confused with the hard power of military presence), |
| factory for production of AK-103 rifles and ammunition | | | | Brazil's is growing. Considering that Brazil is also |
| for them. Chavez's near future capability to annually | | | | Colombia's neighbor, Lula Da Silva may soon be seen |
| produce 50,000 rifles and ammo will allow him to really | | | | as more constructive/inspirational in the region than |
| bolster the capability of FARC allies in Colombia's | | | | Chavez. Colombia under a government more |
| jungles. If the rumors of various anti-aircraft missiles | | | | favorable to Bolivarian style continental unification |
| being provided by the Kremlin are correct, then FARC | | | | would physically shut United States out of South |
| will also be able to neutralize Uribe's American | | | | America, provide more influence over the strategically |
| provided troop transport helicopters and aircraft that | | | | key Panama, and give Chavez led center-left Spanish |
| periodically terrorize forest villagers with chemical | | | | speaking cluster of countries a way to be co-equals |
| weapons (under the drug war fig leaf pretext of | | | | with Brazil in deciding continental policy. |
| eradicating coca plants). | | | | Uribe and Chavez thus both have great potential |
| Uribe seems to be running scared. That is | | | | rewards from a military confrontation if each man |
| demonstrated by his recent decision to give United | | | | manages to make it happen on his terms and control |
| States control over a number of Colombia's military | | | | the public perception after wards. |
| bases, to some civilian infrastructure like airports, and to | | | | That is why Brazil must step in and actively work with |
| allow US troops immunity from prosecution. No | | | | other global players with interests in the region (China in |
| self-respecting imperial puppet deepens his humiliating | | | | resources such as Chilean copper and Russia in |
| dependency into Karzai status unless absolutely | | | | infrastructure development such as nuclear power |
| necessary. Puppets usually try to push for more | | | | plants) to put pressure on Obama and deter |
| autonomy from Washington DC. In fact, Fidel Castro's | | | | Colombian government from emulating Sri Lanka's |
| recent article even went as far as to say Colombia | | | | military solution. Brazil has shown its willingness to be a |
| was virtually annexed under Obama's watch. Rather | | | | strong sovereign power by acting independently from |
| than the statement being a rhetorical exaggeration, | | | | US in providing solutions during the Honduran coup |
| Castro points out that that at no previous period in time | | | | crisis. Although Lula Da Silva has a center-left union |
| did the Colombian oligarchs allow American military to | | | | organizing history and has more in common with |
| have as much control over their domain. | | | | Chavez than Obama, he can be the perfect bridge |
| Perhaps Uribe is hoping to avoid Saakashvili's fate by | | | | between the two. Obama for his part needs to break |
| having enough American troops on his territory to | | | | away from the influence of some elites in American |
| deter a Venezuelan military response during the end | | | | military establishment. The leak about Afghanistan |
| game. Once Colombian government launches an all out | | | | troop build up deliberations and McChrystal's impudent |
| attack on FARC controlled zones to consolidate | | | | behavior shows that there are elements in the |
| control over the country, it will want to also attack | | | | American Military-Industrial complex that need to be |
| FARC's hiding and refueling safe havens in border | | | | shown who the boss is. International pressure must |
| parts of Ecuador and Venezuela. Right now those | | | | also be applied on Chavez since he is a military man |
| safe havens help FARC out the way parts of | | | | and may decide on some sort of violent preemption |
| Pakistan help out the Taliban. Considering Venezuela's | | | | (either sharp escalation of indirect aid to FARC rebels |
| arms purchases, the outcome of an attack by | | | | or even direct limited engagement if Colombian threat |
| Colombian military that doesn't also extend across the | | | | seems overwhelming or there is perception of |
| border may prove to be disastrous, humiliating, and | | | | American weakness). If Brazil and other countries |
| inconclusive. | | | | agree with Chavez that FARC is a belligerent entity |
| Colombia is not a recently acquired protectorate like | | | | (the way an army is) rather than a terrorist |
| Georgia and has been a way for United States to | | | | organization, it may begin the process of dialogue |
| destabilize the region for decades (to prevent South | | | | towards a non-violent political settlement. |
| American economic cooperation/integration the way it | | | | A regional war or Afghanistan style escalation |
| is occurring now). It makes sense for Uribe to think his | | | | dragging major players is not what the American |
| country is safer from counterattack attack than | | | | people on both continents in the Western Hemisphere |
| Georgia was. However, USA's current weakened | | | | need right now. |