Joshua Goodman of The Associated Press has a feature article on the recent shooting of anti-drug police by army soldiers in Colombia and the effect it has had on the army’s standing in the South American country. While it doesn’t add much to the big picture of what we know already, i.e. that the initial reports by the army and press of it being a tragic mix-up are in all likelihood incorrect with continued infiltration of army ranks by drug gangs a more likely explanation, there are some interesting little details:
* President Uribe has not disciplined any of the top military ranks over the incident, even though he has sacked 11 generals since 2002 for “far lesser acts of negligence”.
* In another army scandal this month, an army captain and three under him have been arrested, suspected of abducting a salesman and his girlfriend; the salesman has not been found.
* Democrat Congressman James McGovern (Massachusetts) put forward a proposal to cut aid to Colombia’s military and “send a powerful message to the Colombian armed forces that we won’t keep writing blank checks … that we’re not a cheap date”. To the tune of $30 million or 5% of the budget. The proposal failed.
* The State Department has just certified that the Colombian army is “making progress” in cutting out abuses within its ranks. Obviously not enough.
* When police reinforcements arrived with flashing lights to help their colleagues they were shot at by the soldiers and had to retreat.
* Text messages from the leading officer who has been arrested, Colonel Carvajal, included this the day before the attack…
“pull back the ambush…..everything is set for tomorrow”
…and on the day…
“Prepare for the group arriving with the chicken.”
Technorati Tags: colombia, war on drugs