Frightening things you didn’t know
While we weren’t paying attention because we’ve been so engrossed in the Republican campaign, you know, watching the my-wife-is-prettier-than-your-wife twitter war that has more in common with MTV than than the GOP, John Kerry attended an interesting meeting. Kerry does look a little like Gomer Pyle so it seems fitting to offer up a “surprise, surprise, surprise” that during his recent visit to Havana, Cuba, he met with…wait for it… a terrorist organization.
If you’ve never heard of FARC, don’t feel bad, very few have, at least very few who live north of Cuba. FARC is the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (or in Spanish, Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia). A terrorist organization that has waged war with Colombia for many years. They’re well financed through wholesome endeavors such as kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking. In fact, they’re one of the largest drug traffickers in the world. Their unique brand of capitalism aside, they also rape and murder. That nasty murdering thing is likely why the US has had them listed as a terrorist organization for the past 20 years.
FARC, backed by Castro’s Cuba, has an ongoing battle with the Colombian government and the people of Colombia. And now, in an attempt to create a legacy, any legacy, the Obama administration is giving legitimacy to FARC to encourage a peace deal. A peace deal that has been in the works for years with no positive results. Who knew you that you can’t negotiate with terrorists.
Don’t think this legitimizes FARC? Consider FARC’s latest chest puffing announcement pointed out by Mary Anastasia O’Grady’s article in the Wall Street Journal : “We hope that as a consequence, we are recognized as a political force committed to the expansion of democracy and social progress in Colombia.”
If there’s progress towards peace, it’ll include little cost to FARC other than meaningless promises, if they get their way. As stated in a recent edition of Foreign Policy, FARC could be removed from the terrorist list and arrest warrants suspended against FARC leaders (at last count there were at least 60 FARC members with U.S. grand jury indictments against them and for whom the U.S. Department of Justice has standing extradition requests to the Colombian government).
FARC wants to be considered a political force in Colombia with no consequences for their horrific actions. If Colombia bows, that’s not compromise, that’s surrender.
Confederacy of Drones 
March 19, 2017 at 12:23 pm
[…] negotiation skills, wouldn’t turn out as well as planned for Colombia – see our post Frightening things from April 4th, 2016. A year later, and with promises along the way of reductions in cocoa plant […]
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