| Colombia faces the historic prospect to resolve the longest standing civil conflict in the world. This chance comes as the result of massive gains against the FARC, the ELN, and Colombia's out of control paramilitary forces. These gains however give Colombia a chance, not a guarantee, of lasting peace. After surrendering a Switzerland-sized piece of Colombia to the FARC, Colombians elected Alvaro Uribe on a platform of "Democratic Security." Uribe placed the focus on security first by expanding forces by a third, to 270,000, including a core of 80,000 professional soldiers, with mobile brigades and Special Forces.1 The army is backed by a large helicopter fleet, tactical bombers and approx ;1"U.S. Aid to Colombia, all Programs, 2006-2006," Foundation Open Society Institute, Latin America Working Group Education Fund, The Center for International Policy and the Washington Office on Latin America, http://justf.org/Country?country=Colombia&year1=2006&year2=2006&funding=All+Programs (accessed 7/13/2008). 2 Ibid. |
