Colombia peace talks a ‘dangerous gambit’: former Bush adviser .

Colombia peace talks a ‘dangerous gambit’: former Bush adviser .
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 06:07 Esteban Manriquez

The widely praised peace talks between FARC rebels and the Santos government will likely end in failure, said a former adviser to former U.S. President George W. Bush Tuesday.

“I am extremely skeptical about the FARC’s intentions,” Jose Cardenas told Colombia Reports. Indeed, he ventured that there is an “85% chance” peace talks will fail as they did ten years ago. Cardenas argued the FARC are adopting the peace talks solely as a political tactic to strengthen their position, rather than disband.

By appearing in favor of a negotiated settlement, the FARC, “are trying to acquire a level of public sympathy…Negotiating will allow them to gain leverage in public opinion that they don’t have now.”

Cardenas characterized the Santos administration’s position as misguided. “The government should demand a unilateral ceasefire from FARC as a precondition to talks. A ceasefire would demonstrate their will for peace,” he said. At present, neither side has refrained from hostilities. On the contrary, FARC have stepped up attacks against the armed forces over recent months.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/26078-colombia-peace-talks-a-dangerous-gambit-former-bush-adviser.html

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José Cárdenas, Cuban "exile" and ex-director of the Cuban American National Foundation in South
Florida, which sponsored the terrorist, mass-murdering Luis Posada Carriles, former CIA an airliner
bomber.[/center]