COLOMBIA: Half Century of US Military Presence

COLOMBIA: Half Century of US Military Presence
Analysis by Javier Darío Restrepo

BOGOTA, Aug 11 (IPS) - In the 1960s, it went by the name of Latin American Security Operation, or Plan LASO; today it is known as Plan Colombia. Back then, the aim was to weed out communism; now it is to combat drug trafficking, while at the same time dealing a blow to the guerrillas.

But at that time or today, the interests of the United States are at stake, although the killing takes place in Colombia – whether in the fight against communists, guerrillas, drug traffickers, or all of them together.

In May 1964, the teletype machines were clicking as a United Press International (UPI) cable arrived from Washington about "a group of special forces technicians of the United States Army…sent to Colombia with (the) purpose of instructing soldiers and police in counter-guerrilla tactics."

The advisers formed part of a campaign started by President Alberto Lleras (1945-1946 and 1958-1962) and continued by his successor Guillermo León Valencia (1962-1966).

The UPI cable goes on to say that "one of the principal tactics employed in the counter-guerrilla operations was the implementation of psycho-warfare which brought about the cooperation and trust of the indigenous population."

The tactics used in the June 1964 attack on Marquetalia, a remote mountainous region in central Colombia, left no doubt as to who provided the advisers and training for the Colombian troops that, commanded by Colonel José Joaquín Matallana, started their offensive by dropping leaflets from the air urging local peasant farmers not to support the guerrillas.

At the same time, loudspeakers from helicopters blasted messages calling on local residents to support the army, and announcing the imminent fall of the communist leaders operating in the region, who founded the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) – the main rebel group today - that year.

A few days later, the bombing and machinegun fire began in areas where the communists were reportedly hiding. Shortly afterwards the helicopters brought in troops. As FARC founder Jacobo Arenas later recalled, 800 airborne troops were flown in and began to take control of the highland area, in combination with troops who were advancing on the ground.

The tactics, similar to those used in the Vietnam war (1964-1975), were coordinated from Neiva, the nearest large town, by U.S. military advisers.

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The right wing generals and politicians got millions from the U.S. "gifts" to Colombia, from their perspective, it was a great success. U.S. taxpayers have been keeping that reactionary government in power for years, complete with death squads and the assassinations of trade unionists and innocent villagers.

But it has not achieved any of it's stated goals.

has been officially ended in favor of police actions like Afghanistan and our "security assistance" in Iraq, we will have to hold on to the only war excuse we have: the War on Drugs.

There's always a need to save us from something; otherwise we wouldn't have a reason to wage all these wars. If we didn't wage these wars the fat, bloated tick of the Military-Industrial-Corporate Complex would fall off the carcass of the U.S. and die.

Recommend. thanks for posting this, Judi Lynn.