And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Subject: JDW: USA warns of Colombian insurgency spreading
Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 08:40:54 -0500
From: Dennis Grammenos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[NOTE: US authorities are preparing the public for a
humanitarian intervention in Colombia, to stop that
nasty narco-insurgency. Note how the guerrillas are
being morphed into "paramilitary groups". -DG]
=====================================================
Meanwhile, US civilian and military authorities also
revealed that Colombia's drug cartels, which have a
close relationship with the insurgency and have
doubled their production of cocaine between 1995
and 1998, now have at their disposal new technologies
and techniques that make US and other nations'
counter-narcotics efforts more difficult.
______________ =====================================================
JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY
May 5, 1999
USA warns of Colombian insurgency spreading
-------------------------------------------
By Bryan Bender
WASHINGTON, DC -- Military intelligence reports have raised alarms in
the
USA that the expanding reach of paramilitary groups and technological
advances by illegal drug cartels in Colombia will result in instability
spreading into neighbouring states.
Senior US officials warn that they may be facing a regional problem of
potentially immense proportions.
The rising stakes in the Andean Ridge of South America --a region one US
official described as the "backyard Balkans"-- could adversely affect
not
only the democratically-elected governments but also the USA's "source
zone strategy" of eradicating and interdicting illegal narcotics at
their
source, according to officials.
Intelligence information made public last week says that Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels controlling nearly 40% of the
country, the smaller National Liberation Army (ELN) and right-wing
paramilitary groups are increasingly operating outside of Columbia's
borders, threatening other nascent democracies in the region.
"Regionally, the governments of Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Panama have
become increasingly concerned about the possible spill-over of violence
from Columbia into their respective sovereign territories," says Barry
McCaffrey, director of the office of national drug control policy and
the
former four-star army general who commanded the US Southern Command
(SOUTHCOM).
"For example, guerrilla units have found sanctuary in Panama's Darien
Province and cross the Colombia-Panama border nearly at will," McCaffrey
told the Senate Armed Services Committee's emerging threats panel.
"These
countries have responded by substantially strengthening the military
law-enforcement presence on their common borders with Colombia. This
set
of circumstances may have extended implications for the continued growth
of democratic institutions in the region. A situation that once was an
internal Colombian problem may be growing into a long-term regional
challenge."
Meanwhile, US civilian and military authorities also revealed that
Colombia's drug cartels, which have a close relationship with the
insurgency and have doubled their production of cocaine between 1995 and
1998, now have at their disposal new technologies and techniques
that make US and other nations' counter-narcotics efforts more
difficult.
"For example, unclassified intelligence reports suggest that 'super
go-fast boats' are now being manufactured on the west coast of Columbia
for use in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific," McCaffrey reported. These
boats have greater speed and cargo capacity than the latest-model
Eduardono boats and can out-run US vessels. Other intelligence indicates
the drug cartels are also capitalizing on expanding global information
networks to support their activities.
These new developments come as the US Department of Defense's $1 billion
annual counter-narcotics effort is at a crossroads with the planned
military withdrawal from Panama by the end of the year. The USA has
successfully negotiated agreements with Ecuador and the Netherlands to
construct forward operating locations (FOLs) on the islands of Curacao
and
Aruba in the Caribbean and at Manta, Ecuador, to help replicate its
anti-drug air activities that had been housed at Howard Air Force Base
in
Panama. Negotiations are under way for an additional FOL, officials
said.
Other steps taken include moving other military elements to the USA and
merging Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) South with JIATF East in
Key
West, Florida.
"This has been a tedious and occasionally contentious undertaking," said
US Marine Corps Gen Charles Wilhelm, SOUTHCOM chief. "It has consumed
much
of the time and attention that we normally devote to day-to-day
counter-drug operations. Now that the architecture is in place we have
refocused our attention on the operational side of our mission and are
working vigorously on a campaign plan, to be completed by 31 May, that
will chart a course for efficient, well coordinated and fully integrated
[counter-drug] operations from our new operating locations."
At the same time, SOUTHCOM has undertaken some new counter-drug
activities, according to Gen Wilhelm, including: the training of
riverine
units in Peru; meetings with the Colombian Army's new counter-narcotics
battalion; and the commencement of Operation 'Caper' to intercept
traffickers in the long uncontested eastern Pacific corridor.
The DoD's counter-drug funding request for Fiscal Year 2000 totals
$954.6
million, including $92.4 million for the restructuring of SOUTHCOM's
counter-drug structure.
Copyright 1999 Jane's Information Group Limited
_______________________________________________________________________
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