War brewing in Colombia . . .

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No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Colombia doesn't have all the high tech goodies that Venezuela has
Sure they do, they have a US carrier fleet. I'm sure one could arrive in a few days.

I have heard about FARC before they and they are nasty buggers. Information from a captured laptop seems to have some damning evidence. If it is verified, it becomes impossible to claim that Venezuela, and with the approval of Chavez, does not appreciably assist and endorse FARC.
Which of course plays right into the hands of Chavez and his propaganda about US imperialism.
It does, but if he attacks appreciably, I rather doubt the US will leave him in power. Heck, it could have a lot of similarities to the first gulf war. He is already a loose canon. He sends a ton of oil up north, which the US needs, but has already threatened to cut it off. In fact, he is more grand in his statements of craziness than Kim Jong IL or the Iranian president.
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,014
8,649
136
Again, this is all posturing. These are all indifferently trained and poorly motivated conscript armies, on all sides.

Columbians have the most "combat" experience, but this consists mainly of sweeping into isolated villages after the FARC has melted away and brutalizing the luckless campesino peasants left behind. Still, they've been doing this for several decades, so they probably have more unit cohesion than Venezuela or, hahahahahahahahaha, Ecuador.

There will be no real shooting war.

Each side has potentially too much to lose and little to truly gain if that happens, and they know it.
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: Jhhnn
Narco terrorists, Andrew R? Shee-it, Sherlock- all the Colombian factions support the Cocaine trade- From the govt (under the table, of course) to their murderous rightwing paramilitaries to FARC- none of them turn away drug money... The Colombian economy would collapse w/o it...

Again, you don't know what you are talking about. Most of the large paraco groups have disbanded under pressure from the government. Secondly, the Government is not involved in cocaine trafficking. There might be corrupt government officials (or even some elected ones for sure), but as a whole the Colombian government does not support the cocaine trade. With the US's assistance, Uribe has been using both manual and aerial eradication of cocaine crops, and the beefed up military has been seizing more and more drugs. It is always a red herring by Chavez supporters to say that the paracos or Uribe deal in coke as well. Some of the paracos did deal in coke -- there is no doubt about that -- however it is FARC's show to run now, and FARC is not a group trying to help the Colombian people or bring about social/political change. They are murderous thugs who are intent on getting more money and power.


And, Palehorse, if Chavez is supporting FARC, wouldn't that be kinda like Bush supporting the MEK and other terrorist groups attacking Iran? Or Reagan's support of the Contras and the Salvadoran and Guatemalan death squads of that era? How about our tacit support of the current Colombian regime and their ongoing relationship with rightwing death squads in that country?

Jhhnn, it is obvious that your issue is not with the FARC and Colombia, but that you oppose the US whenever and wherever they are involved. That's fine; however do not try to equate Colombia's situation with that of other's. It is not easy to compare any situation to the very complex situation down in Colombia.

Andres is right, at least 85% of the people do not support the FARC, nor do they consider them legitimate. I can't stand the FARC, nor do I care for the paracos. The FARC kidnapped my father-in-law, and paracos killed my mother-in-law's brother. There is NO ONE in Colombia that has not been affected by the violence and bloodshed.

I was in Villavo last year when Bush came to Bogota -- he was cheered for his support of Colombia, and jeered for his other actions. People in Colombia do have a problem with the US's style of politics and foreign policy, but they respect the US because it is one of the only countries that is helping them. All France gives a shit about is Betancourt. In fact, most of Europe thinks that is how this whole war started -- over Betancourt. The US has been there since the beginning attempting to help.
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: Perknose
Again, this is all posturing. These are all indifferently trained and poorly motivated conscript armies, on all sides.

Columbians have the most "combat" experience, but this consists mainly of sweeping into isolated villages after the FARC has melted away and brutalizing the luckless campesino peasants left behind. Still, they've been doing this for several decades, so they probably have more unit cohesion than Venezuela or, hahahahahahahahaha, Ecuador.

There will be no real shooting war.

Each side has potentially too much to lose and little to truly gain if that happens, and they know it.

Eh... I disagree. Colombia has a professional military, and their combat experience is fighting the FARC in the thick of the jungle and paracos as well -- not massacring civilians like you accuse them of. I've been on several Colombian military bases -- even some of the ones close to the action, and I can promise you that they have a professional army. Colombia doesn't have a lot of conscripts; most of the conscripts are in the FARC or in the paracos. This is not to say that the Colombian military has never killed innocent people, or that they haven't had problems -- they have -- but their military is very professional. They've had US training and equipment for a long time now.

Still, they've been doing this for several decades

War in Colombia predates that timeline.
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: maddogchen
wow Venezuela actually closed its borders with Colombia? Isn't that like shooting yourself in the foot?

Yes. As Andres said, Venezuela requires Colombian staples to ward off severe food shortages. Even when I was in Caracas and other parts of Venezuela in June the food shortages were pretty bad. It took us several days to find eggs, milk, and butter. We bought the butter and eggs at a little hidden tienda (black market), and finally got some powdered milk. We left our unused eggs with a family that we met there -- they had been exchanging dollars into Bolivars for us (beats the COP to Bolivar rate).

With the border closed, Venezuela is going to have problems unless they get some massive deliveries on the way -- and soon. A lot of the people in Venezuela buy things in Colombia and bring them back across, or buy blackmarket goods in Caracas and other places that were brought in from Colombia.
 

Andres3605

Senior member
Nov 14, 2004
927
0
71
Just as expected civilians start to cross the Trachira River (Colombian border) to buy food in the Colombian side to fight shortage of basic items.


Picture

2
 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
126
Originally posted by: Andres3605
Just as expected civilians start to cross the Trachira River (Colombian border) to buy food in the Colombian side to fight shortage of basic items.


Picture

2

Will they be arrested upon return?
 

fallout man

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2007
1,787
0
0
Nice. Colombia is using my "War on Drugs" money to fight off leftist rebels who want to overthrow their shitty, corrupt government.

We need more "WARS ON STUFF." That should cure the world of every ailment.

I really don't see how Venezuela and Equador are in the wrong here. If there was proven evidence of cross-border collaboration between a "terrorist" group and those governments, why not bring it before an international court/political body? Typically, crossing the border into another country to carry out a military operation is pretty much a declaration of war--unless you're the U.S. Even if you're the U.S., it's still "ain't right." We're all too fucking hypnotized at this point to call a spade a spade.

Anything goes when you're fightin' "terrah!" Let's all just sit down and have a consensus on what "terror" really is.
 

Andres3605

Senior member
Nov 14, 2004
927
0
71
Originally posted by: Genx87
Originally posted by: Andres3605
Just as expected civilians start to cross the Trachira River (Colombian border) to buy food in the Colombian side to fight shortage of basic items.


Picture

2

Will they be arrested upon return?

Probably not as long as they don't suspect the items are for resale.

The real problem is not for the people very close to the border, is to the people that live further away 3-5 HRS which would probably end up paying a huge mark up in food.

 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
126
Originally posted by: fallout man
Nice. Colombia is using my "War on Drugs" money to fight off leftist rebels who want to overthrow their shitty, corrupt government.

We need more "WARS ON STUFF." That should cure the world of every ailment.

I really don't see how Venezuela and Equador are in the wrong here. If there was proven evidence of cross-border collaboration between a "terrorist" group and those governments, why not bring it before an international court/political body? Typically, crossing the border into another country to carry out a military operation is pretty much a declaration of war--unless you're the U.S. Even if you're the U.S., it's still "ain't right." We're all too fucking hypnotized at this point to call a spade a spade.

Anything goes when you're fightin' "terrah!" Let's all just sit down and have a consensus on what "terror" really is.

Uh have you been living in a cave? The evidence was found from the raid. How can they get the evidence to present to an international community that is at the camp in Ecquador if they dont perform the raid?

 

Andres3605

Senior member
Nov 14, 2004
927
0
71
Originally posted by: fallout man
Nice. Colombia is using my "War on Drugs" money to fight off leftist rebels who want to overthrow their shitty, corrupt government.

We need more "WARS ON STUFF." That should cure the world of every ailment.

I really don't see how Venezuela and Ecuador are in the wrong here. If there was proven evidence of cross-border collaboration between a "terrorist" group and those governments, why not bring it before an international court/political body? Typically, crossing the border into another country to carry out a military operation is pretty much a declaration of war--unless you're the U.S. Even if you're the U.S., it's still "ain't right." We're all too fucking hypnotized at this point to call a spade a spade.

Anything goes when you're fighting' "terrah!" Let's all just sit down and have a consensus on what "terror" really is.

It seems you know absolutely nothing about what is going on, FARC uses drug money to finance weapons, explosives and other devices to kill Colombian people,

They have wiped entire towns to attack police stations, mine fields in public roads, using child bodies to hide explosives so when the army tries to take the bodies to the morgue everyone blows up...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSpJpn1Djqk
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Chavez is a sponsor of terrorism and a showboating despotic fuck.

No mas secuestros.
No mas mentiras.
No mas muertes.
NO MAS FARC.
 

fallout man

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2007
1,787
0
0
Originally posted by: Genx87
Originally posted by: fallout man
Nice. Colombia is using my "War on Drugs" money to fight off leftist rebels who want to overthrow their shitty, corrupt government.

We need more "WARS ON STUFF." That should cure the world of every ailment.

I really don't see how Venezuela and Equador are in the wrong here. If there was proven evidence of cross-border collaboration between a "terrorist" group and those governments, why not bring it before an international court/political body? Typically, crossing the border into another country to carry out a military operation is pretty much a declaration of war--unless you're the U.S. Even if you're the U.S., it's still "ain't right." We're all too fucking hypnotized at this point to call a spade a spade.

Anything goes when you're fightin' "terrah!" Let's all just sit down and have a consensus on what "terror" really is.

Uh have you been living in a cave? The evidence was found from the raid. How can they get the evidence to present to an international community that is at the camp in Ecquador if they dont perform the raid?

Yes. You are so correct, beyond any debate. You have to break an international law, essentially declaring war through demonstrated aggression, in order to make unsubstantiated claims about a break in international law. When you break a law in order to "suggest" that someone else broke a law, you make yourself exempt from condemnation for breaking the law you broke. That's how hot justice works.

If I suspect that you have copies of illegal software in your home, I can break into your home and vandalize it until I find evidence of illegal software. The international community will forgive me for breaking your shit because I've been such a stalwart supporter of law and justice by exposing your software pirating.

I have been living in a cave. At least I had the opportunity to read up on enough news in the last few years to know that "evidence found" and "actionable intelligence" is worth about as much as a Cracker Jack prize in this day and age.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: fallout man
Nice. Colombia is using my "War on Drugs" money to fight off leftist rebels who want to overthrow their shitty, corrupt government.

We need more "WARS ON STUFF." That should cure the world of every ailment.

I really don't see how Venezuela and Equador are in the wrong here. If there was proven evidence of cross-border collaboration between a "terrorist" group and those governments, why not bring it before an international court/political body? Typically, crossing the border into another country to carry out a military operation is pretty much a declaration of war--unless you're the U.S. Even if you're the U.S., it's still "ain't right." We're all too fucking hypnotized at this point to call a spade a spade.

Anything goes when you're fightin' "terrah!" Let's all just sit down and have a consensus on what "terror" really is.

You clearly have no concept of Colombian politics. 'Your' War On Drugs money does nothing of the sort. Uribe is the best thing to happen to Colombian politics in decades.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: fallout man
Originally posted by: Genx87
Originally posted by: fallout man
Nice. Colombia is using my "War on Drugs" money to fight off leftist rebels who want to overthrow their shitty, corrupt government.

We need more "WARS ON STUFF." That should cure the world of every ailment.

I really don't see how Venezuela and Equador are in the wrong here. If there was proven evidence of cross-border collaboration between a "terrorist" group and those governments, why not bring it before an international court/political body? Typically, crossing the border into another country to carry out a military operation is pretty much a declaration of war--unless you're the U.S. Even if you're the U.S., it's still "ain't right." We're all too fucking hypnotized at this point to call a spade a spade.

Anything goes when you're fightin' "terrah!" Let's all just sit down and have a consensus on what "terror" really is.

Uh have you been living in a cave? The evidence was found from the raid. How can they get the evidence to present to an international community that is at the camp in Ecquador if they dont perform the raid?

Yes. You are so correct, beyond any debate. You have to break an international law, essentially declaring war through demonstrated aggression, in order to make unsubstantiated claims about a break in international law. When you break a law in order to "suggest" that someone else broke a law, you make yourself exempt from condemnation for breaking the law you broke. That's how hot justice works.

If I suspect that you have copies of illegal software in your home, I can break into your home and vandalize it until I find evidence of illegal software. The international community will forgive me for breaking your shit because I've been such a stalwart supporter of law and justice by exposing your software pirating.

I have been living in a cave. At least I had the opportunity to read up on enough news in the last few years to know that "evidence found" and "actionable intelligence" is worth about as much as a Cracker Jack prize in this day and age.

Umm, that is what the Police would do in that situation. I don't see that you have a point.
 

fallout man

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2007
1,787
0
0
I'm not making an excuse for FARC tactics, financing, or message.

What I want to point out is that we as American taxpayers have thrown billions of funbucks at at shitty, corrupt government that has spun the use of the funds to fight what is essentially an insurgency.

If you're so worried about fighting the good war on drugs, we should perhaps beef up our border with South America using those 5 billion funbucks. After all, the US is Colombia's biggest export's sniffer.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: fallout man
I'm not making an excuse for FARC tactics, financing, or message.

What I want to point out is that we as American taxpayers have thrown billions of funbucks at at shitty, corrupt government that has spun the use of the funds to fight what is essentially an insurgency.

If you're so worried about fighting the good war on drugs, we should perhaps beef up our border with South America using those 5 billion funbucks. After all, the US is Colombia's biggest export's sniffer.

No, you're claiming that Uribe's Government is ineffective and corrupt. I'm calling you out on that. Back it up.
 

Drift3r

Guest
Jun 3, 2003
3,572
0
0
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: fallout man
I'm not making an excuse for FARC tactics, financing, or message.

What I want to point out is that we as American taxpayers have thrown billions of funbucks at at shitty, corrupt government that has spun the use of the funds to fight what is essentially an insurgency.

If you're so worried about fighting the good war on drugs, we should perhaps beef up our border with South America using those 5 billion funbucks. After all, the US is Colombia's biggest export's sniffer.

No, you're claiming that Uribe's Government is ineffective and corrupt. I'm calling you out on that. Back it up.

Colombia is not a country I would set foot in if I were a pale skin non-Spanish speaking person. It's the number one kidnap capital of the world and even though the FARC add to this problem they are not the sole problem causing all these kidnapings. Drugs in Columbia and all the graft that come about because of it infects every level of the Columbian government and this is a well known fact.

Left wing rebels help protect the cash drug crop and the Right Wing paramilitaries help to move it out of Columbia. Drugs and the Drug lords have basically infiltrated every aspect of Colombians lives. If we could just kick our drug habit as a nation or at least not treat it as a war or crime then things would change and sanity and order would slowly start to crawl back into place.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: Drift3r
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: fallout man
I'm not making an excuse for FARC tactics, financing, or message.

What I want to point out is that we as American taxpayers have thrown billions of funbucks at at shitty, corrupt government that has spun the use of the funds to fight what is essentially an insurgency.

If you're so worried about fighting the good war on drugs, we should perhaps beef up our border with South America using those 5 billion funbucks. After all, the US is Colombia's biggest export's sniffer.

No, you're claiming that Uribe's Government is ineffective and corrupt. I'm calling you out on that. Back it up.

Colombia is not a country I would set foot in if I were a pale skin non-Spanish speaking person. It's the number one kidnap capital of the world and even though the FARC add to this problem they are not the sole problem causing all these kidnapings. Drugs in Columbia and all the graft that come about because of it infects every level of the Columbian government and this is a well known fact.

Left wing rebels help protect the cash drug crop and the Right Wing paramilitaries help to move it out of Columbia. Drugs and the Drug lords have basically infiltrated every aspect of Colombians lives. If we could just kick our drug habit as a nation or at least not treat it as a war or crime then things would change and sanity and order would slowly start to crawl back into place.

It worked fine for me. I'm a pale skinned Englishman and traveled all around Bogotá, up to Cartegena, down to Villavicencio in the centre of the country (by road), Anapoima, north of Bogotá to Villa de Leyva, again by car.

I don't think you have a very accurate view of modern Colombia. Drug culture does not pervade life from the bottom to the top as you suggest. People have normal lives. There is industry, oil production, culture, wealth and a lifestyle that you would actually find not too far from your own if you are lucky enough to afford it.

The country is war torn, but this is mostly restricted to areas under the control of the FARC. Since Uribe came to power in 2002 these areas have become vastly reduced, kidnappings have reduced by 76% and homicides by 40%.
 

fallout man

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2007
1,787
0
0
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

No, you're claiming that Uribe's Government is ineffective and corrupt. I'm calling you out on that. Back it up.

Because Colombia tries to blackmail the US into feeding them more cold hard American taxpayer dollars.

"Oooga Booga! Oooga Booga! You no give funny money, you suffer New York streets full of COCA!"

Like that's not already a currently ongoing problem: "Oh no, coke will get 'slightly more expensive.'"

Also, Uribe is a douchebag who pulls things like this: I don't really see anyone here sweating to support a third Putin term, but here we are discussing a South American president who:

BOGOTA, Colombia: Close supporters of President Alvaro Uribe in congress announced Wednesday that they would seek a constitutional amendment to allow the Colombian president to seek a third term in office.

The pro-government "U" party, the largest bloc in Congress, said later this month they would begin collecting the 1.3 million signatures needed to force a referendum on allowing the popular conservative leader to run for a third consecutive term.

If a referendum is held and voters approve the amendment, it would still need to be approved by congress and then be greenlighted by the constitutional court.

"No army switches generals when it's winning the battle," said Luis Guillermo Giraldo, secretary general of the "U" party, which approved the proposal Wednesday at a party congress.

In the strongest indication yet that he wouldn't be tempted into seeking a third term, Uribe in August said Colombia should begin looking for his successor and even put forward a potential candidate: agricultural minister Felipe Arias
Today in Americas.

Ever since his landslide re-election last year, Uribe's supporters have hinted they would try to amend Colombia's constitution like they did in 2004 in order to tempt him into extending his stay in office.

Opponents of a third term, among them several architects of his first re-election, warn against Uribe seeking a third term and say he hasn't done enough to rule out the possibility.

The U.S. government has been silent on whether it would be support another four-year term for its staunchest ally in the region.

Despite a scandal that has led to the arrest of more than a dozen of his congressional backers for alleged ties to right-wing militias, Uribe still enjoys approval ratings of over 70 percent, largely due to his government's security gains against leftist rebels and one of South America's highest economic growth rates.

Recent surveys show that a little more than half of Colombians want Uribe to stay in power past 2010.

Wow, he sounds like if God put Chavez and George W. Bush into a blender, pressed the button, and poured the liquid results into a gold-rimmed martini glass.

Where do I sign up?
 

Andres3605

Senior member
Nov 14, 2004
927
0
71
Originally posted by: Drift3r
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: fallout man
I'm not making an excuse for FARC tactics, financing, or message.

What I want to point out is that we as American taxpayers have thrown billions of funbucks at at shitty, corrupt government that has spun the use of the funds to fight what is essentially an insurgency.

If you're so worried about fighting the good war on drugs, we should perhaps beef up our border with South America using those 5 billion funbucks. After all, the US is Colombia's biggest export's sniffer.

No, you're claiming that Uribe's Government is ineffective and corrupt. I'm calling you out on that. Back it up.

Colombia is not a country I would set foot in if I were a pale skin non-Spanish speaking person. It's the number one kidnap capital of the world and even though the FARC add to this problem they are not the sole problem causing all these kidnapings. Drugs in Columbia and all the graft that come about because of it infects every level of the Columbian government and this is a well known fact.

Left wing rebels help protect the cash drug crop and the Right Wing paramilitaries help to move it out of Columbia. Drugs and the Drug lords have basically infiltrated every aspect of Colombians lives. If we could just kick our drug habit as a nation or at least not treat it as a war or crime then things would change and sanity and order would slowly start to crawl back into place.

You are wrong is not number 1 anymore, look close at Mexico your neighbors, and corruption in government is present but not anywhere close as widespread as you make it sound, production of drug has drastically decreased since Uribe is president, but as you said comsumption is the biggest role, if there a buyer there will be a product...

Text

"..last year, with U.S. assistance, Colombia eliminated a record- breaking 153,000 hectares of coca through aerial eradication and another 66,000 through manual eradication..."


 

Andres3605

Senior member
Nov 14, 2004
927
0
71
Originally posted by: fallout man
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

No, you're claiming that Uribe's Government is ineffective and corrupt. I'm calling you out on that. Back it up.

Because Colombia tries to http://www.reuters.com/article...stCrisis/idUSN14200865">blackmail</a> the US into feeding them more cold hard American taxpayer dollars.

"Oooga Booga! Oooga Booga! You no give funny money, you suffer New York streets full of COCA!"

Like that's not already a currently ongoing problem: "Oh no, coke will get 'slightly more expensive.'"

Also, Uribe is a douchebag who pulls things like http://www.iht.com/articles/ap...a-Uribe-Reelection.php">this.</a> I don't really see anyone here sweating to support a third Putin term, but here we are discussing a South American president who:

BOGOTA, Colombia: Close supporters of President Alvaro Uribe in congress announced Wednesday that they would seek a constitutional amendment to allow the Colombian president to seek a third term in office.

The pro-government "U" party, the largest bloc in Congress, said later this month they would begin collecting the 1.3 million signatures needed to force a referendum on allowing the popular conservative leader to run for a third consecutive term.

If a referendum is held and voters approve the amendment, it would still need to be approved by congress and then be greenlighted by the constitutional court.

"No army switches generals when it's winning the battle," said Luis Guillermo Giraldo, secretary general of the "U" party, which approved the proposal Wednesday at a party congress.

In the strongest indication yet that he wouldn't be tempted into seeking a third term, Uribe in August said Colombia should begin looking for his successor and even put forward a potential candidate: agricultural minister Felipe Arias
Today in Americas.

Ever since his landslide re-election last year, Uribe's supporters have hinted they would try to amend Colombia's constitution like they did in 2004 in order to tempt him into extending his stay in office.

Opponents of a third term, among them several architects of his first re-election, warn against Uribe seeking a third term and say he hasn't done enough to rule out the possibility.

The U.S. government has been silent on whether it would be support another four-year term for its staunchest ally in the region.

Despite a scandal that has led to the arrest of more than a dozen of his congressional backers for alleged ties to right-wing militias, Uribe still enjoys approval ratings of over 70 percent, largely due to his government's security gains against leftist rebels and one of South America's highest economic growth rates.

Recent surveys show that a little more than half of Colombians want Uribe to stay in power past 2010.

Wow, he sounds like if God put Chavez and George W. Bush into a blender, pressed the button, and poured the liquid results into a gold-rimmed martini glass.

Where do I sign up?

His party members proposed the reelection and he declined the proposition, BTW I would vote for him again any given time, best Colombian president in ages, opposition parties have scrutinize him to no end and they haven't found a single incriminatory prove against him.



 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Originally posted by: fallout man
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

No, you're claiming that Uribe's Government is ineffective and corrupt. I'm calling you out on that. Back it up.

Because Colombia tries to http://www.reuters.com/article...stCrisis/idUSN14200865">blackmail</a> the US into feeding them more cold hard American taxpayer dollars.

"Oooga Booga! Oooga Booga! You no give funny money, you suffer New York streets full of COCA!"

Like that's not already a currently ongoing problem: "Oh no, coke will get 'slightly more expensive.'"

Also, Uribe is a douchebag who pulls things like http://www.iht.com/articles/ap...a-Uribe-Reelection.php">this.</a> I don't really see anyone here sweating to support a third Putin term, but here we are discussing a South American president who:

BOGOTA, Colombia: Close supporters of President Alvaro Uribe in congress announced Wednesday that they would seek a constitutional amendment to allow the Colombian president to seek a third term in office.(1)

The pro-government "U" party, the largest bloc in Congress, said later this month they would begin collecting the 1.3 million signatures needed to force a referendum on allowing the popular conservative leader to run for a third consecutive term.

If a referendum is held and voters approve the amendment, it would still need to be approved by congress and then be greenlighted by the constitutional court.

"No army switches generals when it's winning the battle," said Luis Guillermo Giraldo, secretary general of the "U" party, which approved the proposal Wednesday at a party congress.

In the strongest indication yet that he wouldn't be tempted into seeking a third term, Uribe in August said Colombia should begin looking for his successor and even put forward a potential candidate: agricultural minister Felipe Arias
Today in Americas.

Ever since his landslide re-election last year, Uribe's supporters have hinted they would try to amend Colombia's constitution like they did in 2004 in order to tempt him into extending his stay in office.(2)

Opponents of a third term, among them several architects of his first re-election, warn against Uribe seeking a third term and say he hasn't done enough to rule out the possibility.

The U.S. government has been silent on whether it would be support another four-year term for its staunchest ally in the region.

Despite a scandal that has led to the arrest of more than a dozen of his congressional backers for alleged ties to right-wing militias, Uribe still enjoys approval ratings of over 70 percent, largely due to his government's security gains against leftist rebels(3) and one of South America's highest economic growth rates.

Recent surveys show that a little more than half of Colombians want Uribe to stay in power past 2010.(4)

Wow, he sounds like if God put Chavez and George W. Bush into a blender, pressed the button, and poured the liquid results into a gold-rimmed martini glass.

Where do I sign up?

OK. Firstly, most Colombians are bright, intelligent people. None of them would utter the caveman like phrase, "Oooga Booga! Oooga Booga!". Please try to debate like an adult.

Points I am addressing are marked with numbers to add clarity.

(1) The Colombian congress signed this into law. This was with the back of Most Colombians. He didn't just rock up to work one day, type out a memo, stamp it a say, 'There. I win.'.

(2) And why not? He has had a profoundly positive effect on the country. What is to stop them trying?

(3) A truly corrupt government would protect these people from prosecution. You also forgot to bold the part about him being responsible for very high economic growth and ignored his popularity due to security improvement.

(4) And why wouldn't they?