Beaucaire From Syria, joined Sep 2003, 4708 posts, RR: 23 Reply 4, posted (3 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 2124 times:
Is this the end of FARC now ?
Those hostages freed will remove one major militarry constraint for the Columbian army to move in.But there are still hostages in the hands of FARC.
It is a great moment for the ones freed,but I deplore that in France media only were concerned about the well-being of Ingrid Betancourt ,while very few mentioned the remaining hostages held captive.
Interestingly enough the German "Links-Partei" had contacts with FARC officials,trying them to be stripped from the European terrorist-list..
MD11Engineer From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 9314 posts, RR: 62 Reply 6, posted (3 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 2091 times:
Quoting Beaucaire (Reply 4): Interestingly enough the German "Links-Partei" had contacts with FARC officials,trying them to be stripped from the European terrorist-list..
What do you expect of a party, where members state that an organisation like the Stasi is necessary in any country to eliminate the "reactionaries"?
They are still very much Stalinist.
MaverickM11 From United States, joined Apr 2000, 10193 posts, RR: 42 Reply 7, posted (3 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 2086 times:
Quoting 707CMF (Reply 5): Don't the FARC have many more hostages (less famous though) ?
Yeah but Betancourt was the FARC's "queen" on the chessboard so far as I could tell. She was synonymous with the FARC's leverage, and now she's been freed.
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 10899 posts, RR: 46 Reply 10, posted (3 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 2072 times:
Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 6): What do you expect of a party, where members state that an organisation like the Stasi is necessary in any country to eliminate the "reactionaries"?
And the SED still has dozens of apologists all over Germany.
Quoting MaverickM11 (Reply 7): Yeah but Betancourt was the FARC's "queen" on the chessboard so far as I could tell.
And yet, they also pissed off France with her kidnapping. I still recall from some time ago, when Sarko even threatened with French military action if Ingrid Betancourt, who's a Colombian of direct French descent, wasn't released. Obviously nothing happened on that front, but in any case, it's great to hear that this ordeal is over. Now it's time to bomb the FARC to dust, because as long as they exist, there will not be peace in Colombia.
Zu fettigem Käse und kalorienreicher Kunstmarmelade, nehme ich einen Doppelkorn.
MaverickM11 From United States, joined Apr 2000, 10193 posts, RR: 42 Reply 11, posted (3 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2052 times:
Apparently the FARC was tricked into giving up the hostages, and it seems like the whole operation went off without injury to anyone. Well done all around.
MIAMIx707 From Cuba, joined Oct 2003, 4529 posts, RR: 31 Reply 12, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 2007 times:
Thanks to Colombian president Alvaro Uribe. The only president worthy of admiration in all of South America and probably the whole Americas. This man of small stature with glasses (as Hugo Chavez refers to him in ridicule) with determination single-handedly took control of the destiny of his country.
From what I heard in the news it was brillliantly accomplished by the Colombian Army. Some, dressed in Che Guevara T-shirts posed as a factitious humanitarian organization. Not a single shot fired and the rescue was a success. Straight out of a movie.
While all the other ex-president pansies did was try to "sit down and talk peace" Uribe knew the only way to get rid of this band of extortionists living off kidnappings, drugs, and some help by corrupt satellite presidents on both sides of the borders was by taking charge.
Both the US and Colombia celebrate their independence in July, and so is my birthday. Great month! It's a great day for our neighborhood (the americas)
FELICIDADES PARA COLOMBIA!!!
In socialism, sometimes 2 + 2 equals 3 -Raul Castro
Falcon84 From United States, joined Sep 2004, 13673 posts, RR: 77 Reply 13, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 2002 times:
Read the article on CNN about the rescue. What a fantastic operation pulled off by the Colombian Armed Forces! Nice to embarrass FARC like that, and, by extension, old Hugo in Venezuela, who supports them.
And it was all done without a shot, which is just outstanding. Congrats to the Colombian military, the Colombian government, and, most importantly, the Colombian people.
N328KF From United States, joined May 2004, 5279 posts, RR: 4 Reply 14, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 1997 times:
Quoting MaverickM11 (Reply 11): Apparently the FARC was tricked into giving up the hostages, and it seems like the whole operation went off without injury to anyone. Well done all around.
The press on the rescue itself makes it sound like FARC was in total Three Stooges mode...WSJ hinted that US SIGINT assets were instrumental.
When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'Present' or 'Not guilty.' T.Roosevelt
MD11Engineer From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 9314 posts, RR: 62 Reply 15, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 1967 times:
Quoting N328KF (Reply 14): Quoting MaverickM11 (Reply 11):
Apparently the FARC was tricked into giving up the hostages, and it seems like the whole operation went off without injury to anyone. Well done all around.
The press on the rescue itself makes it sound like FARC was in total Three Stooges mode...WSJ hinted that US SIGINT assets were instrumental.
From what I have read, several operations of the Colombian forces during the last months suceeded in destroying the leadership of the FARC. Without the charismatic leaders, the FARC seemed to have broken apart into various factions, which are basically in "survival only" mode and not anymore able to rum any major operations.
Now the Colombian government has to do the same with the rightwing paramilitary militias (which also operate out of government control) and to adress the genuine grievances of the rural poor (which drove the peasants to join the FARC in first place), to prevent any resurection.
MIAMIx707 From Cuba, joined Oct 2003, 4529 posts, RR: 31 Reply 16, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 1952 times:
Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 15): and to adress the genuine grievances of the rural poor (which drove the peasants to join the FARC in first place), to prevent any resurection.
A typical euro socialist myth
Most of the present-day FARC were recruited while very young, given the promise of money and a "rebel" lifestyle, etc. For some of these people who don't know any better I'm sure that sounded pretty good.
The FARC don't just recruite "poor local people" they recruit people in universities overseas, all these ignorants who admire Che Guevara, etc. An example was that Mexican girl combatant who survived the raid in the base the FARC had built on the Ecuadorian side of the border. First said she was a tourist there, just passing through. Then that she went to study "the music and culture of the FARC" -how clever- (even though there's video of her holding the rifle and dressed as a militant together with everyone else listening to a FARC commander's speech)
In socialism, sometimes 2 + 2 equals 3 -Raul Castro
Beaucaire From Syria, joined Sep 2003, 4708 posts, RR: 23 Reply 17, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 1936 times:
I read that some ex-Israeli intelligence and army officers did assist in setting up the plan and implement it ( ??) -so one should recognize the outside help from wherever it came ...
They certainly did contribute based ona wealth of knowledge.
In overall,a splendid operation by the Columbians !!! - that can be used to make a terrific thriller movie ...
Chavez looks like lame duck with his failed liberation- attemps and barely trying to boost his credibility.
MadameConcorde From Monaco, joined Feb 2007, 2187 posts, RR: 6 Reply 18, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 1931 times:
Does this woman hold a dual French/Colombian citizenship, dual passports?
I could never understand how a French national running to be the President of Colombia.
What are the facts?
She did not look in a too bad condition after being trapped 6 years in the Columbian jungle. Seems that the hostages may have been treated better than we thought, at least for Ms. Betancourt.
Wasn't Mr. Uribe, the man who has gotten her free from the FARC rebels (maybe with the help of the CIA?) her political opponent? Wasn't she running against him?
There was a better way to fly. It was called Concorde.
Mortyman From Norway, joined Aug 2006, 840 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 1910 times:
Just got the news here in Norway, that a Norwegian has also been released. Alf Onshuus who has a wife from Colombia, worked with his wife in Colombia as teachers, when they were taken hostage in January
His wife was released in march, while Alf Onshuus has just been released.
The kidnappers once demanded 800 000 NOK to release him. However there is no info that such a payment has been made.
The rescue operation wich is the issue of this debate, has apparently nothing to do with the release of Alf Onshuus.
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posed as a factitious humanitarian organization. Not a single shot fired and the rescue was a success. Straight out of a movie.
It's a great day for our neighborhood (the americas)
(even though there's video of her holding the rifle and dressed as a militant together with everyone else listening to a FARC commander's speech)
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