Colombia : Conditions and U. S. Policy Options

By Serafino, Nina M.

Book Id: WPLBN0000232207
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 0.7 MB
Reproduction Date: 2008

Title:	Colombia : Conditions and U. S. Policy Options
Author:	Serafino, Nina M.
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Government publications, Legislation., Government Printing Office (U.S.)
Collections:	Government Library Collection
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	Government Printing Office


Citation APA MLA Chicago M. Serafin, B. N. (n.d.). Colombia : Conditions and U. S. Policy Options. Retrieved from http://self.gutenberg.org/

Excerpt
Summary: With the civil conflict in Colombia worsening, in many analysts’ perception, some policymakers are again questioning the wisdom and scope of U.S. policy and assistance toward that country. In July 2000, the 106th Congress decided to provide some $860 million in funding for Colombia as part of the $1. billion “Plan Colombia” supplemental funding for FY2000 and FY2001 counternarcotics and related efforts primarily in the Andean region. Some foreign observers, U.S. policymakers, and analysts hold this U.S. assistance package responsible in part for escalating violence. The package included funding for the training and equipping of Colombian Army counternarcotics battalions to undertake counternarcotics fumigation missions in two provinces where coca production has spread rapidly since 1995. Although the funding was strictly for counternarcotics and related purposes, the Clinton Administration’s stated intent was to cut a major source of revenue to the leftist guerrillas battling the government, who reportedly earn tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars per year from taxing coca production and distribution. The guerrillas have cited that fumigation of crops that began in Putumayo in December 2000 as a rationale for blockading access to that province during late 2000, and for suspending peace talks with the government of Colombian president Andres Pastrana.

Table of Contents
Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 U.S. Interests in Colombia and Congressional Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Combat Illegal Narcotics Production and Trafficking . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Support Colombia’s Democracy and Human Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Support Colombia’s Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Maintain U.S. Trade and Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Prevent Regional Instability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Displacement of Civilians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Defense of U.S. Citizens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Colombian Democracy and the Current Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Guerrilla Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Current Strengths and Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Military Situation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Guerrilla Participation in the Illegal Drug Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 The “Paramilitary” Presence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Relationship with Drug Trafficking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Human Rights Controversy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 The Pastrana Administration’s Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Initiation of the Peace Process with the FARC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Progress of the Peace Process in 2000 and 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Progress in Peace Talks with the ELN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Military Reform and Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Securing International Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 “Plan Colombia” Enacted and U.S. Policy Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 U.S. Policy Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Broaden U.S. Policy to Provide Multi-faceted Aid, and Deemphasize Counternarcotics Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Suspend or Terminate Aid to the Military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Continue the Current Policy and Levels of Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Appendix A. Past and Current U.S. Assistance to Colombia . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Appendix B. Overview of the FARC and the ELN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Previous Negotiation Attempts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Appendix C. FARC’s January 1999 Negotiating Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38