Posted by
Doctor Poddy on Thursday, April 03, 2008 10:17:28 PM
Cross posted from
BNN
In Colombia, the narco “insurgent” group FARC is being decimated by a “carrot-stick” approach by the Colombian President Uribe.
After years of a “talk nice and let’s negotiate” President, where
FARC used truces and safe zones to regroup and fight again rather than
to negotiate, the present government is hitting hard, but offering
amnesty to those who lay down their arms.
Colombians, sick of kidnappings of middle class small business
owners, have demonstrated by the millions against FARC killing of
hostages, and even the poor, who were caught in the middle of FARC’s
revenge killing, land mines, and right wing hit squads, also are no
longer supporting the group.
But FARC still has one ace left, a Colombian politician with dual French citizenship named Ingrid Betancourt.
She was kidnapped years ago while running for President, and her
presence has allowed FARC to manipulate France. Since the French left
still thinks the murderous drug running FARC are freedom fighters, they
have been getting financial support from French leftists. At the same
time, they are using her presence to manipulate the French government
to pressure Colombia to make nice with them.
In other words, her kidnapping was a “win/win” situation for FARC.
But now there are reports that Ms. Betancourt is ill, and the Vatican is trying to “mediate” to get her released.
BOGOTA, Colombia, APRIL 2, 2008 (Zenit.org).-
The Diocese of San José del Guaviare offered the services of three
priests to mediate the release of former Colombian presidential
candidate Ingrid Betancourt….
The bishop also revealed that a few weeks ago he sent a letter to the
FARC, asking if they would accept the mediation of the Catholic Church
for a humanitarian agreement. The letter has not been answered.
So you have France begging for her release, the President of
Venezuela trying to get her release so he can get some good publicity,
and now the Catholic church begging them to be nice.
But of course, all this ignores the reality:
FARC could have released her at any time, and could release her tomorrow. They just don’t want to do it.
All of this is complicated by that laptop captured by Colombia in a raid on a FARC camp just over the border in Ecuador.
FARC money has been used to influence nearby governments: the finding of $450,000 of FARC’s money in Costa Rica, suggesting links to politicians there. Ironically, when a security minister in Costa Rica mentioned this obvious fact, he was forced to resign.
The laptop also revealed that a lot of leftist politicians in Europe and even in the US have supported the group, including Congressman McGovern of Massachusetts.
McGovern, a Democrat,
claims his contact with FARC was merely humanitarian in nature, i.e.
trying to negotiate to release the hostages. However, as far back as
2003, McGovern has tried to cut US aid to Colombia. That is why it is
strange that Senator Obama and other Democrats
oppose a trade deal that would boost Colombia’s economy, using the
murder of trade union representatives by right wing hit squads as an
excuse. Why are they trying to “improve human rights” by wrecking the
Colombian economy and stopping a successful Colombian campaign against
murderous drug trafficking insurgents?
What else is on that laptop? The US Press, outside of the Miami Herald, seems to be ignoring the story.
The IHT (NYTimesEurope) laments that the raid that killed Reyes and liberated his computer was the reason that Betancourt was not released.
Again, this twists the reality that FARC could have released her at any time in the last six yers.
All of this is “revolutionary theatre”. Release someone you had no
right to kidnap in the first place, and voila, you are heroes. You can
now charm more money out of European leftists (with compliant MSM
reports such as the above) while using the money to buy guns,
ammunition, and hire more murderers.The cycle of violence, kidnapping,
drug money and murder would instantly become stronger.
But never mind.
To the press, one attractive and rich French/Colombian (and white) politician is worth it.
So, thanks to press manipulation and pressure by the French government, Colombia will allow a French medical team to enter the area where she is held, while stopping military intervention.
And if you believe that the French team is only carrying medicine with them, you are wrong:
Valencia suspects the French will be coming with more to
offer than medicine. ”They are going to come with some sort of
attractive offer for the FARC — which could include granting them
political status — so they [the French] can take her,” he said.
Translation: The French may free Betancourt by promising to grant
FARC “political status”. This means they will no longer be listed as a
terror group ( international law can go after their bank accounts if
they are listed as a terror group).
FARC will also be allowed to raise money among the left in France
(which they have been doing for years), and finally, allows them to
travel in France without fear of arrest or extradition. How soon would
this lead to a European Union stamp of approval?
But France doesn’t care. One rich white politician with a French passport is worth the lives of thousands of poor Colombians.
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