Tuesday, 03.04.08
May the Best Man Win
Rodrigo Arangua/Getty Images
Supremacy by stealth
July 2003
Robert D. Kaplan writes on how U.S. Special Forces extend America's influence.
The talented Mr. Chavez
May 2006
Frank Foer profiles Venezuela's erratic Hugo Chavez.
Out of the jungle
May 2000
Benjamin Ryder Howe recounts one of the darker moments in Colombia's civil war.
Venezuelan megalomaniac Hugo Chavez's dispatch of troops to the Colombian border is meant not just as an affront to the Colombians but to Colombia's ally, the United States. Chavez must have deep sense of inferiority, because Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez is everything Chavez is not. Indeed, handicapped for size and importance of the country, Colombian President Uribe is the most impressive and successful ruler in the democratic world. A quiet, workaholic, he is the opposite of a demagogue. If Pakistan or Iraq had an Uribe, they would both be increasingly out-of-the-news success stories.
Over the past half-decade, Uribe has been rolling up one area of former narco-terrorist geography after another. Colombia is quietly becoming a success story where the next trend on the horizon there is foreign tourism. Some years ago, Colombia was not even in a position to go after the FARC in the border areas. It is only because Colombia itself is increasingly off limits to the narco-terrorists that the FARC has to rely on safe havens in Ecuador and Venezuela. The United States has been buttressing Colombian nation-building with a multi-pronged program that includes military training by our Army Special Forces. The Colombian military is South America's best. It can take care of itself.
ShadowboxingPeter Walker seems to think the current standoff is just a lot of hot air -- yet another case of Chavez shooting his mouth off to draw attention to himself. |
Alvaro the menaceCarlos Martinez calls the U.S.-Colombian efforts in the never-ending "war on drugs" the real source of instability in the region. |
Alvaro the greatA 2007 BusinessWeek profile notes President Uribe's hands-on approach to revitalizing Colombia's economy. |
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Kaplan said: If Pakistan or Iraq had an Uribe, they would both be increasingly-out-of-the-news success stories.
Colombia's doing well, but that might be a bit of a stretch. A big portion of Uribe's success can be placed on the Colombian people, who have rallied around him and given him the political capital to get the job done. Additionally, Uribe's policies would not be possible if it weren't for the attempt (albeit failed) at the peace process by the previous administration, which helped moved the Colombian people to his positions.
This isn't about Uribe's single-handed leadership as much as it is about a leader who has risen to meet the demands of the people. The Colombian population deserves more credit. Iraq and Pakistan's populations aren't in a position to take advantage of a leader like that at the moment.
On the tourism issue, Colombia had over a million tourists last year, a huge increase in the past ten years. I highly recommend it. Lonely Planet named it one of the top ten countries to visit. Bogota is very safe and Cartagena is awesome.
No, I probably wouldn't do a cross country drive through the jungle, but Colombia is definitely worth visiting now.
Let's just hope the administration has the sense to keep American forces out of the area. The last thing we need to do is respond to Chavez with force. His own voters are repudiating him. It's high time for the US to respect people in Latin America, who can figure things out without our meddling. The neocons have done enough damage, their influence, as the imperious Sec of State might say, "must" not extend to our Latin America policy.
Fine comments.
However, I believe that it is still too early for Colombia to fan the flames of tourism, as the country still ranks among the most violent in the World. Someday.
For now they I am sure they merit increased foreign direct investment.
Posted by Luis A. del Valle | March 5, 2008 4:17 AM