Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia

Guerillas: The changing face of warfare.

Siglo Vientiuno, Guatemala

Iraq and Colombia: Wars Just

Aren't the Same Anymore …

"Like the temperature, the seasons, the rain and other natural phenomena that in this new century no longer respond to the old cycles we once knew, the dynamics of war (humanity's most destructive activity) also seem to have changed."

Victor Galvez Borrel

Translated By Paula van de Werken

January 14, 2008

Guatemala - Siglo Vientiuno - Original Article (Spanish)

Guatemala: Like the temperature, the seasons, the rain and other natural phenomena that in this new century no longer respond to the old cycles we once knew, the dynamics of war (humanity's most destructive activity) also seem to have changed. Take two hot spots for example.

The first is the war in Iraq. Effectively, while the invasion of that country officially on May 1, 2003 (after the much-publicized victory if international coalition forces led by the United States after 40 days of combat that devastated the Iraqi Army). A few days later a different war began - and it continues today.

In the last four and a half years (until the end of October 2007) that conflict has resulted in 4,145 dead soldiers (92 percent of them North Americans and a total of five Salvadorans), as well as 28,171 wounded. In other words, 24 times more dead than during the initial invasion.

In addition to recording more deaths after victory than during the initial invasion, this war is characterized by the complexity of the battle being waged on several fronts: against the troops of the international coalition, against the government and the rebuilt Iraqi army (trained and subordinated to the invading forces), and between the majority Shiite Muslims (55 percent of the population) and the minority Sunnis (18 percent of the population).

This latter front gives the conflict the feel of a civil war, which had up to now spared the Kurds (21 percent of the population) but which now threatens to draw them in due to the recent bombings of their territory [northern Iraq] by Turkey. This feature creates the third and key paradox of this war: The troops of the international coalition don't what to do in order to stay, but neither have they found the formula to go. Attacks with “car bombs” and the taking of hostages are two principal weapons of the fight.

The second “hot spot” is the internal armed conflict in Columbia, the oldest in America, which was ignored and isolated since it became impossible to conceal in 1980.

At first it evinced the ideological outlines of the Cold War and the struggle for national liberation. Insurrectionist groups (M-19, the ELN, FARC, etc.) opposed the Army and counter-insurgents (the self-defense forces and paramilitaries).  Over the years, ideological and political identities became blurred as the war became bogged down and polluted by two very lucrative illicit activities: smuggling contraband weapons and trafficking drugs (which have also infiltrated the forces of the State).

Many now argue that the remaining rebel groups remain due to such activities alone, since the earlier ideologies or political relationships no longer exist. Apart from the control and influence over territory and people (which is understandable given the needs of drug production), the taking of hostages is also a main feature of this war, the only one on the continent.

But if in Iraq, hostage-taking is used as a bargaining chip to push for the withdrawal of foreign troops or to finance the war, in Columbia - judging from the very few cases that have been resolved and the very long periods of captivity - this doesn’t appear to be the case. Hostages in Colombia suffer an average of six to eight years of captivity, and 3,500 to 4,000 are now being held by bands of guerillas. 

It's difficult to understand the dynamics of this war which, like all others, feeds on the civilian population, but which in this case the capture of civilians doesn’t seem to serve the same function as usual - they aren't exchanged immediately and without intermediaries, but are retained in order to demonstrate presence, territorial control and power.

Click Here for Spanish Version