and it alarmed me. I know we'd been baaaaad in Columbia but I didn't realize to what extent. I am very disappointed.
I hope this guy does well by the people of Bogota.
Knight-Ridder/Tribune Media Services (August 30, 2000)
Philadelphia Inquirer (August 31, 2000)
Clinton in Colombia: The Ugly American
When President Clinton announced his trip to Colombia, he said his purpose was "to seek peace, to fight illicit drugs, to build its economy, and to deepen democracy."
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Clinton administration seeks not peace but rather a military solution to the 40-year old civil war in Colombia. About three-quarters of its record-breaking aid package to Colombia is for the military and police. Like Presidents Kennedy and Johnson in Vietnam, Mr. Clinton is convinced
that superior firepower can destroy a deeply entrenched, armed insurgency.
If this requires the continuing murder of 3000 civilians each year, or creating 300,000 refugees annually, that is a price that Mr. Clinton is willing to pay.
<snip>
Meanwhile, 37 human rights and other non-governmental organizations in Colombia have stated that they will not accept any funds from "Plan Colombia," the program that our massive aid package-- $1.3 billion, with $860 million for Colombia-- is partially funding. And neighboring states-- including Ecuador and Peru-- are beginning to worry that continued escalation of the war will spill over into their
territories.
<snip>
http://www.cepr.net/columns/weisbrot/clinton_in_columbia.htm