My last Early Reportsaw a flurry of activity from all sectors in the comments page. I sought to provide a very impartial matter of fact report, and I did. Nonetheless there were those who attacked me for:
A. Calling the FARC one of the deadliest terrorist organizations in history.
and
B. Saying that because I support Uribe my arguments and reporting were not valid.
Furthermore I was ridiculed by a select few, who called me amongst other things: "Fascist", "Neocon", "Bill Kristol in training"and a few other nasty names.
Nonetheless, all this name calling and ugliness failed to really impact the core of my story.
Now I'm against the war in Iraq, against the aggression in Gaza, and have full understanding of international events as my Early Report Diaries have shown time and time again, as I reported on the Iranian Conflict.
The main reason's I'm a bad, evil, neocon? It's Because:
A. I'm not a loyal follower of Hugo Chavez.
and
B. I support Alvaro Uribe Velez.
Now for anyone who knows the situation in Colombia, realizing that the FARC is a deadly, dangerous, terrorist organization is a no brainier. The evidence? Well the United Nations High Comission on Human Rights said this:
The FARC-EP has employed vehicle bombings, gas cylinder bombs, assassinations, landmines, kidnapping, extortion, hijacking, guerrilla and conventional military action against Colombian political, military, economic as well as civilian targets, to attack those it considers a threat to its movement. It has not been uncommon for civilians to die or suffer forced displacement, directly or indirectly, due to many of these actions. The FARC-EPs April 16 and April 18, 2005 gas cylinder attacks on the town of Toribió, Cauca led to the displacement of more than two thousand indigenous inhabitants and the destruction of two dozen civilian houses.
anyone seeking further information should check out this report (which places the death toll taken by the FARC between 1995 and 2002 at 5,864 exactly), or look at this chart.
As for me supporting Uribe making my arguments not valid? That's a simple strawman, the tape of Mono Jojoy is out there, and was posted in my diary. I don't really need to defend myself there.
I'd like us to take a look at this BBC Timeline, from the moment Uribe was elected.
August - Moments before Alvaro Uribe is sworn in as president, suspected Farc explosions rock Bogota. Twenty people are killed.
That was the legacy that the nation left for itself, as Uribe was sworn in.
Now Uribe is not a perfect man, he did not surround himself with the right people. Many of the people in his political coalitions were later found guilty of working with Paramilitary forces, groups nearly as bad as the FARC. That was bad, that was wrong. Those congressmen were put in jail. They did not escape the rule of law.
Nonetheless, these people's association with Uribe led to a natural guilt by association argument from many people, a idea that ultimately became part of many peoples arguments against Colombia.
From before, and for some time during, Uribe's Presidency, international corporations like Chiquita and Coca-Cola paid the Paramilitary to kill unionists. That was Bad. Some of the Congressmen found guilty of being in cahoots with the Paramilitary were found to have been part of these killings. That was also bad.
When the Courts of the United States were unable to charge these Corporations with anything else then a slap on the wrist, the attention was put on Colombia, what would Uribe do to punish these people. Well, Uribe really didn't have the power to do much, but even with what he could do, he would of alienated these important corporations, and hurt the Colombian Economy by doing so. Was that the wrong choice? Definitely. But it helped the Colombian Economy when it could of been hurt.
Colombia is not a perfect nation, and we don't have, nor do we deserve, a perfect president. Nonetheless, Uribe has done what was needed to get rid of the Guerilla's constant threats.
More worryingly I see on here is a trend of people who take Chavez's and Correa's every single word, and hang on them with full belief.
The USA is not the almighty devil, yes it is interventionist, and it has done some bad things. But it's not the source of all evil, nor half the conspiracy fueled things that Chavez and Correa calls it.
Furthermore, while I cannot fault Chavez and Correa for what they do within their own country as much, his people voted for him. I can fault him for what he does in other countries. Specifically in Colombia, and other South American nations.
Hopefully this doesn't fall on deaf ears, but some of you really need to come to your senses.